^HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCHES, 


ALL  DENOMINATIONS. 


CITY  OF  NEW  YORE, 

/ 

FROM    THE    FIRST   SETTLEMENT    TO    THE   YEAR  1846. 
ttt 

JONATHAN  gREENLEAF, 

PASTOR  OF  THE  WALLABOUT  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  BROOKLYN. 


JXem  fork: 
E.    FRENCH,    136   NASSAU   STREET, 

_.        PORTLAND :  HYDE,  LORD  &  DUREN. 
1846. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  iu  the  year  1846,  by 
JONATHAN  GREENLEAF, 

in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for 
the  Southern  District  of  New  Yerk. 


S.  W.  BENEDICT, 
St*r.  and  Print.,  16  Spruce  Street. 


PREFACE, 


IT  is  not  pretended  that  the  following 
pages  present  all  the  facts  pertaining  to  the 
ecclesiastical  affairs  of  the  city  of  New  York ; 
still,  it  is  believed  that  the  most  material  are 
here  embodied.  It  is  also  believed  that  the 
facts  here  stated,  and  the  dales  given,  may 
both  be  relied  on,  as  no  pains  have  been 
spared  to  render  them  accurate.  In  relation 
to  these,  as  well  as  to  the  numbers  in  the 
several  Churches — reference  may  be  had  to 
the  minutes  of  the  General  Synod  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church ;  the  journals  of  the 
Annual  Convention  of  the  Episcopal 
Church ;  the  minutes  of  the  General  As- 
sembly of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  together 
with  the  minutes  of  the  Synod  of  New  York 
and  New  Jersey ;  the  minutes  of  the  New 
York  and  Hudson  River  Baptist  Associa- 
tions ;  and  the  minutes  of  the  Methodist 


IV  PREFACE. 

Annual  Conference.  These  sources  of  in- 
formation have  been  carefully  examined. 
In  relation  to  the  various  branches  from  these 
denominations,  as  well  as  the  other  denomi- 
nations in  the  city,  whether  composed  of  a 
single  Church,  or  of  several  associated,  their 
annual  publications  have  been  examined,  if 
they  have  made  any,  or  information  has 
been  sought  from  intelligent  men  among 
them ;  and  then  to  ensure,  if  possible,  per- 
fect accuracy,  the  sketch  of  each  denomina- 
tion, when  written,  has  been  exhibited  to 
some  leading  minister  in  that  denomination, 
for  examination  and  correction. 

Chronological  order  is  observed  through- 
out, as  far  as  it  was  practicable. 

In  recording  similar  facts  in  so  many  in- 
stances, much  variety  of  expression  cannot 
be  expected.  No  .attempt  of  the  kind  has 
been  made,  and  as  far  as  style  is  concerned, 
all  that  has  been  aimed  at,  has  been  to  pre- 
sent the  information  in  a  concise  and  in- 
telligible manner. 

With  these  explanations  the  book  is  sub- 
mitted to  the  judgment  of  the  public. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 
ABYSSINIAN,  BAP.  CHH.  240 
Advent,  Epis.  Chh.  of-  -108 
African    Meth.    Bethel 
Chh  325 

Page. 
Broadway  Pres.  Chh-  •  •  180 
"    Tabernacle  Cong.  362 
Broome  St.  Bap.  Chh-  •  253 
Cong.  Chh.  356 
"           Dutch  Chh.    42 
Calvary  Epis.  Chh  101 
"              "         near 

Pm-loare'  WnnV.  .  .        .     SO 

African     Meth.     Union 
Chh    328 

Allen  street  Meth.  Chh.  287 
Pres.   Chh.  151 
All  Saints  Epis.  Chh-  •    85 
Amity  St.  Bap.  Chh-  •  -258 
Annunciation,  Episcopal 
Chh.  of  86 

Canal  St.  Pres.  Chh-  •  -  140 
Cannon  St.   Bap.   Chh.  252 
Carmine  St.  Pres.  Chh.  169 
Cedar  St.  Pres.  Chh    .  136 
Central    Bap.   Chh-     -260 
"         Pres.  Chh..     .  164 
Chelsea  Pres.  Chh..     .  162 
Christian  Bap.  Chh.      -  273 
Christian  Chhs.,  sketch 
Of  378 

Arminian  Bap.  Chh.  .  .  .233 
Asbury  col'd  Meth.  Chh,  323 
Meth.  Chh...  297 
Ascension,  Epis.  Chh.  of  104 
Associate    Pres.  Chhs., 
sketch  of.                     212 

Associate     Ref.     Pres. 
Chhs.,  sketch  of  203 
Baptist  Chhs.,  sketch  of  223 
Bedford  St.  Meth.  Chh.  288 
Berean  Bap   Chh  267 

Christ's  Chh.,  Epis...    65 
"               "      in 

City  Mission  Epis  •  •  •  •     90 
«           Pres  145 

Beriah  Ban  Chh  241 

Collegiate  Dutch  Chh. 
12—17 
Colored  Bap.  Chhs.  240,  259 
"        Cong.  Chh.....  367 
"        Epis.   Chhs-.. 
79,  97,  98 
"        Meth.  Chhs-  •  •  320 
"        Pres.  Chh  152 
Cong.  Chhs.,  sketch  of   352 
Crucifixion,  Epis.  Chh. 

nf                                            .  .  10S 

Bethel  Bap    Chh  232 

Bethesda  Bap.  Chh  230 
BleeckerSt.  Pres,  Chh.  156 
"           Univ.  Chh.  349 
Bloomingdale  Bap.  Chh.  264 
"          Dutch  Chh.   33 
"         Pres.    Chh.  201 
Bowery  Bap.  Chh  260 
"       Pres.   Chh  154 
Brainerd  Pres.  Chh  187 
Brick  Pres.  Chh.  130—135 
Broadway   Cong.   Chh.  355 
Mr.  Finney's  179 

Disciples,  Chh.  of  !i57 
Downing  St.  Friends  ••  118 
Duane  St.  Meth.  Chh.  •  285 

VI 


CONTENTS. 


Duane  St.  Pres.  Chh.-  136 

East  Bap.  Chh 253 

Ebenezer  Bap.  Chh- ••  249 
Eighteenth  street.  Meth.  289 
Eighth  Av.  Pres.  Chh- -189 

Eighth  Pres.  Chh. 158 

Eighth  St.  Pres.  Chh.  •  209 

Eleventh  Pres.  Chh-  •  •  198 

Eleventh  St.  Bap.  Chh.  271 

Elizabeth  St.  Bap.  Chh.  256 

"  Pres.  Chh.  144 

"  Univ.  Chh.  350 

Emmanuel  Epis.  Chh.     98 

"     Epis.  Free  Chh.  107 

Emmaus  Bap.  Chh.-.-  258 

Epiphany,  Epis.  Chh.  of  92 

Episcopal  Chh.,  sketch 

of 60 

Fifteenth  St.  Pres.  Chh.  200 

Fifth  Cong.  Chh 366 

Fifth  Ward  Cong.  Miss. 

Chh 361 

First  Bap.  Chh 225 

"      Cong.  Chh 352 

"  Pres.  Chh 12ti 

Floating  Chap.,  Epis..  106 
Meth.  301 

Forsyth  St.  Meth.  Chh.  284 
Forty-first  street  Meth.  294 
Forty-fourth  St.  Meth. 

Chh 293 

Forty-second  St.  Pres.  202 
Fourteenth  Pres.  Chh.  167 

Fourth  Cong.  Chh 365 

Fourth  St.  Bap.  Chh..  270 

Univ.  Chh.   351 

Franklin  St.  Dutch  Chh.  35 

Free  Pres.  Chhs 171 

French  Epis.  Chh.  Du 

St.  Esprit 71 

French  Epis.  Chh.  Du 

St.  Sauveur 106 

French  Cong.  Chh 368 

Friends'  meetings,  sketch 

of 112 


Garden  St.  Dutch  Chh.  19 
German  Evan.  Meth.  316 
German  Evan.  Mission 

Chh.  Dutch 47 

German  Lutheran  Chhs., 

sketch  of 52 

German  Mission  Meth.  297 

German  Pres.  Chh 193 

"      Re  formed  Dutch   24 
German  Reformed  Lu- 
theran     57 

Good  Shepherd,  Epis.  108 
Grace  Church,  Epis. . .  78 
Greene  St.  Dutch  Chh.  41 
"  Meth.  Chh.  290 
Greenwich  Dutch  Chh.  29 
Hammond  St.  Pres.  Chh. 201 

Harlem  Bap.  Chh 272 

"  Dutch  Chh---  21 
"  Meth.  Chh- -..294 
"  Mission  Chh.-  291 

Pres.  Chh 200 

Hester  St.  Friends 117 

Holy  Apostles,  Epis. . .  107 
Holy  Communion,  Epis. 

Chh.  of 108 

Holy  Evangelists,  Epis.    90 

Chh.  of 

Home  Mission  Meth...  303 
Houston  St.  Pres.  Chh.  175 
Independent  Cong.  Chh.  354 
Jane  St.  Meth.  Chh...  304 

"         Pres.  Chh 199 

Jews,  sketch  of 119 

John  St.  Meth.  Chh...  283 
Lafayette  Place  Dutch 

Chh 17 

Laight  St.  Bap.  Chh.  •  •  245 
Pres.  Chh-.  142 
Laurens  St.  Bap.  Chh-  •  257 
Lutheran  Chhs.,  sketch 

of 52 

Madison  Av.  Pres.  Chh.  202 

Madison  St.  Meth.  Chh.  300 

"  Pres.  Chh.  196 


CONTENTS. 


Vll 


Manhattan  Dutch  Chh.  46 
Manhattan  Island  Pres.  191 
Market  St.  Dutch  Chh.  39 

Mariners'  Chh 302 

Mariners'  Meth.  Chh- -300 

Mercer  St.  Pres.  Chh.  •  194 

Messiah,  Epis.  Chh.  of     96 

"       Prot.  Epis.  Chh. 

of 98 

Methodist  Chhs.,  sketch 

of 281 

Methodist  Primitive 

Chh 314 

Methodist  Prot.  Chhs., 

sketch  of 308 

Methodist  Soc'y,  sketch 

of 305 

Methodist  Welsh  Chh.  311 

"       Wesleyan  Chhs.  317 

Middle  Dutch  Chh....    12 

Mission  Bap.  Chh 252 

"        Epis.  Chhs-..    90 

Moravian   Chh.,  sketch  275 

Mount  Zion  Bap.  Chh.  270 

Mulberry  St.  Bap.  Chh.  243 

«  Meth.  Chh.  295 

Murray  St.  Pres.  Chh-  •  207 

Nativity,  Cath.  Chh.  of  341 

«         Epis.  Chh.  of  99 

New  Jerusalem,   Chhs.,  370 

New  York  Cong.  Chh.   369 

Ninth  Pres.  Chh 197 

Ninth  St.  Dutch  Chh-  •  16 
Norfolk.St.  Bap.  Chh..  249 
North  Bap.  Chh 251 

"      Dutch  Chh 14 

"  Pres.  Chh 169 

Northwest  Dutch  Chh.  35 

Old  Lutheran  Chh 59 

Oliver  St.  Bap.  Chh 235 

Orchard  St.  Dutch  Chh.   43 

"  Friends  ...118 

"  Univ.  Chh.  348 

Particular  Bap.  Chh-  •  •  269 

Pearl  St.  Pres.  Chh 206 


Presbyterian  Churches, 

sketch  of 125 

Providence  Bap.  Chh-.  272 
"        Chapel  Cong.  356 

Chh 

Provost  St.  Bap.  Chh.  •  250 
"  Pres.  Chh.  167 

Puritans,  Cong.  Chh.  of  367 
Redeemer,  Cath.  Chh.  of  340 
Redemption,  Epis.  Chh. 

of 103 

Redemption,  Free  Epis. 

Chh.  of 95 

Ref.  Dutch  Chhs.,sketch 

of 9 

Ref.  Pres.  Chhs.,  sketch 

of 216 

Robinson  Cong.  Chh. -366 
Roman  Catholic  Chhs., 

sketch  of 331 

Rose  St.  Friends  meet'g  117 
Rutgers  St.  Pres.  Chh. 

132, 135 

Salem  Bap.  Chh 265 

Saviour,  Epis.  Chh.  of  106 
Scotch  Bap.  Chh 237 

"       Pres.   Chh 129 

Seamen's  Bethel  Bap.  269 
Second  Av.  Pres.  Chh.  182 

Second  Bap.  Chh 230 

Second  St.  Meth.  Chh.  290 

Seventh  Pres.  Chh 148 

Seventh  St.  Meth.  Chh.  285 
Sixteenth  St.  Bap.  Chh.  262 
Sixth  Av.  Pres.  Chh-  •  •  195 
Sixth  St.  Bap.  Chh----267 
"  Pres.  Chh.-.  182 
South  Bap.  Chh 246 

"     Dutch  Chh 19 

Spring  St.  Pres.  Chh-.  167 

St.  Andrew's  Cath.  Chh.  341 

Epis.  Chh.   87 

St.  Ann's  Epis.  Chh---    74 

Stanton  St.  Bap.  Chh  •  •  247 

"          Dutch  Chh.   49 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


St.  Augustine's  Epis.  98 
St.  Bartholomew's  Epis. 

Chh 100 

St.  Clement's  Epis.  Chh.  88 
St.  Columbae's  Cath. . .  342 
St.  Francis'  Cath.  Chh.  340 
St.  George's  Epis.  Chh.  63 
"  the  martyr, 

Epis.  Chh.  of 107 

St  James'  Cath.  Chh..  337 
"          Epis.  Chh--    74 
"        Lutheran  Chh.   55 
St.  John  the  Bap.  Cath. 

Chh 340 

St.  John  Evan.  Cath.  341 
St.  John's  Chapel  Epis  62 
St  Josephs  Cath.  Chh.  339 
St.  Jude's  Free  Epis. 

Chh 105 

St.  Luke's  Epis.  Chh-  •    83 

St.  Mark's  Epis.  Chh«-    67 

St.  Mary's  Cath.  Chh-  336 

"         Epis.  Chh--    74 

St.  Matthew  Epis.  Chh.   94 

Epis.  col'd   97 

St  Matthew   Lutheran 

Chh 55 

St.  Michael's  Epis.  Chh.  74 
St.  Patrick's  Cath.  Chh.  335 
St.  Paul's  Cath.  Chh-  •  340 
Epis.  Chapel  61 
St.  Peter's  Cath.  Chh-  -  33' 
Epis.  Chh--  89 
St.  Philip's  Epis.  Chh-  •  79 
St.  Simon's  Epis.  Chh.  109 
St.  Stephen's  Epis.  Chh.  73 
St.  Thomas'  Epis.  Chh.  84 
St.  Timothy's  Epis.  Chh.  105 
St.  Vincent  de  Paul, 

Cath.  Chh 341 

Suffolk     St.     Christian 

Chh 37 

Sullivan  St.  Meth.  Chh.  29 

Swamp  Chh 

Tabernacle  Bap.  Chh-  •  244 


abernacle  Cong.  Chh.  362 
"  in  Catharine  St.  192 
"  Pres.  Chh.  179 

"         Village  Chh.  166 

'enth  Pres.  Chh 197 

'hird  Cong.  Chh 359 

transfiguration,     Cath. 

Chh.  of 337 

^rinity,  Epis.  Chh-  •••  60 
True  Ref.  Dutch  Chh.  49 
Twenty-first  St.  Dutch  31 
Twenty-fourth  St.  Meth. 

Chh 296 

Twenty-seventh    street 

Meth.   Chh 293 

JnionPres.  Chh--.-..  168 
Jnitarian  Chhs.,  sketch 

of 373 

Cfniversalist  Churches., 

sketch  of 344 

University  Pres.  Chh-  •  195 
'    place  Pres.  Chh.  139 
VandewaterSt.  Cg.Chh. 

"  Dutch  Chh.   45 

"  Epis.  Chh.   90 

"  Pres.  Chh.  163 

«  Univ.  Chh.  345 

Vestry  St.  Meth.  Chh-  -  294 
Village  Pres.  Chh.  166,  186 
Wall  St.  Pres.  Chh--.-  133 
Washington  Sq.  Dutch  21 
Welsh  Bap.  Chh--239,  261 

Cong.  Chh 358 

Meth.  Chh 311 

Pres.    Chh 185 

West  Bap.  Chh 266 

West  20th  St.  Pres.  Chh.  189 

Willet  St  Meth.  Chh. .  288 

Yorkville  Meth.  Chh-  •  292 

"         Pres.   Chh..  202 

Zoar  Bap.  Chh 246 

Zion  Bap.  Chh 259 

"    Epis.  Chh •    81 

"    Meth.   Chh--....  321 
"    Little,  Meth.  Chh.  322 


TESTIMONIALS. 


To  insure  to  the  "  History  of  the  Churches 
in  New  York"  as  much  accuracy  as  possible, 
the  sketch  of  each  denomination  was  exhibited, 
when  written,  to  some  intelligent  man  in  that 
denomination,  that  the  errors,  if  any  were  found, 
might  be  corrected.'' 

The  following  testimonials  have  been  cheerfully 
given : 

From  the  Rev.  Dr.  De  Witt  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 

Church. 

"  I  have  perused  that  part  of  the  proposed  pub- 
lication of  a  volume  prepared  by  the  Rev.  Jona- 
than Greenleaf,  giving  the  history  of  the  Reform- 
ed Dutch  Churches  in  this  city,  and  am  pleased 
with  the  accuracy  which  characterizes  it.  I  cor- 
dially commend  it  for  publication,  and  the  pa- 
tronage of  our  religious  community." 

THOMAS  DEWITT, 

One  of  the  Ministers  of  the  Collegiate  R.  D.  Church. 

NKW  YORK,  January  27, 1846. 

1 


2  TESTIMONIALS. 

From  the  Rev.  Mr.   Stohlmann  of  the  Lutheran 

Church. 

"  I  hereby  certify  that  the  Rev.  J.  Greenleaf 
has  exhibited  to  me  a  sketch  of  the  history  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  in  this  city,  and  as  far  as  I  have 
any  knowledge  of  the  facts  stated,  I  believe  them 
to  be  accurate." 
CHARLES  FRED.  E.  STOHLMANN, 

Pastor  of  St.  Matthew's  Ckurch  in  Walker  street. 


From  the,  Rev.  Dr.  Anthon  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

"  Rev.  J.  Greenleaf, — Dear  Sir : — You  were 
pleased,  a  short  time  since,  to  read  to  me  in 
manuscript,  a  sketch  which  you  had  prepared  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  say  that 
I  listened  to  it  with  much  interest  for  the  valua- 
ble information  contained  in  it,  and  which  gave 
ample  proof,  in  my  judgment,  of  your  accuracy, 
faithfulness,  and  diligence.  A  work  of  this  kind 
is  much  wanted  for  reference,  and  the  plan  and 
details  of  your  volume  will,  I  believe,  ensure  its 
extensive  circulation." 

I  am  respectfully,  your  ob't  serv't, 

HENRY  ANTHON, 

Rector  of  St.  Mark's  Church. 
NEW  YOKK,  May  19,  1846. 


TESTIMONIALS.  O 

From  the  Rev.  Dr.  Krebs,  of  the  Presbyterian 

Church. 

"  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Greenleaf  has  submitted 
to  me  his  history  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches 
in  this  city,  which  I  believe  to  be  very  accurate, 
and  hope  to  see  published." 

JOHN  M.  KREBS, 
Minister  of  the  Rutgers  Street  Church. 
NEW  YOEK,  January  26, 1846. 


From  the  Rev.  Dr.   Pat  ton  of  the  Presbyterian 

Church. 

"  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Greenleaf  has  read  over 
to  me  that  portion  of  his  sketch  of  the  history  of 
the  churches  of  this  city,  which  particularly  re- 
lates to  the  Presbyterian  interest.  It  affords  me 
pleasure  to  say  that  as  far  as  I  am  conversant 
with  the  facts,  he  has  embodied  them  with  great 
accuracy  and  impartiality ;  and  that  as  put  forth 
by  him  they  will  furnish  many  instructive  les- 
sons." WM.  PATTON, 

Pastor  of  the  Spring  Street  Church; 
NEW  YOKK,  May  18,  1846.  ..i/3 


From  the  Rev.  Mr.  McLaren  of  the  Associate 

Reformed  Presbyterian  Church. 
"  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Greenleaf  has  read  to  me 
his  history  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Churches 


TESTIMONIALS. 


in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  I  believe  it  to  b« 
very  accurate." 

WILLIAM  MCLAREN, 

Pastor  of  the  Associate  Ref.  Church,  Franklin  $treet. 
Nsw  YOBK,  February  9, 1846. 


From  the  Rev.  Dr.  Stark,  of  the  Associate  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

"  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Greenleaf  has  read  to  me 
the  account  he  has  drawn  up  of  the  Associate 
Presbyterian  Churches  in  this  city,  and  I  believe 
it  to  be  perfectly  correct." 

ANDREW  STARK, 

Minister  of  the  Associate  Presbytaian  Church,  Grand  street. 
NEW_  YORK,  9th  February,  1846. 


From  fhe  Rev.  Dr.   McLeod,  of  the  Reformed 

Presbyterian    Church. 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Greenleaf,  the  compiler  of 
the  Sketches  of  the  History  of  the  Churches  in 
this  city,  having  submitted  to  me  the  history  of 
the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  which  is  to 
appear  in  that  publication,  I  hereby  certify  to  the 
accuracy  of  the  substantial  facts  which  it  pre- 
sents." 

JOHN  N.  McLEOD, 

Pastor  of  the  Ref.  Pres.  Church,  Prince  Strett,  New  York. 
NKW  YORK,  May  20, 1846. 


TESTIMONIALS.  O 

From   the    Rev.   Dr.    Williams,  of  the  Baptist 

Church. 

"  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Greenleaf  having  read  to 
me  his  manuscript  account  of  the  Baptist 
Churches  of  this  city,  I  take  pleasure  in  certify- 
ing to  the  research  it  has  evidently  cost  him, 
and  to  its  substantial  accuracy,  as  far  as  I  have 
knowledge  of  the  facts." 

WILLIAM  R.  WILLIAMS, 
Pastor  of  the  dmity  Street  Baptist  Church. 
NEW  YORK,  February  25,  1846. 


From  the  Rev.   Mr.  Eigler,  of  the    Moravian 

Church. 

"  This  is  to  certify  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Green- 
leaf  communicated  to  me  the  short  historical 
sketch  of  the  United  Brethren  or  Moravian  church 
in  this  city ;  and  that  so  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge 
it  is  correct." 

DAVID  BIGLER, 
Pastor  of  the  Moravian  Church,  New  York. 
N*w  YORK,  March  4, 1846. 


From  the  Rev.  P.  P.  Sandford,  of  the  Methodist 

Episcopal  Church. 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Greenleaf  having  read  to  me 
his  sketch  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 


6  TESTIMONIALS. 

this  city,  I  hereby  certify  that  the  same  is  sub- 
tantially  correct,  as  far  as  I  hare  knowledge  of 

the  facts." 

P.  P.  SANDFORD, 

Presiding  Elder  of  the  New  York  Dittrict. 
NEW  YORK,  March  17,  1846. 


From  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stillwell,  of  the  Methodist 

Society. 

"  The  Rev.  J.  Greenleaf  has  read  to  me  his 
history  of  the  rise  and  present  condition  of  the 
Methodist  Society  in  New  York,  together  with 
that  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  which 
1  consider  correct." 

W.  M.  STILLWELL, 
Minister  of  the  Meth.  Soc.,  New  York. 
NEW  YORK,  February  9,  1846. 


From  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  McCloskey,  of  the 

Roman  Catholic  Church. 
"  This  is  to  certify  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Green- 
leaf  has  exhibited  to  me  the  brief  historical  and 
statistical  sketch  which  he  has  prepared  of  the 
different  Catholic  Churches  of  this  city.  His 
statements,  I  believe,  are  all  sufficiently  accu- 
rate." 

JOHN  McCLOSKEY, 

Bp.  Coadjutor  of  New  York. 
NEW  YORK,  March  5, 1846. 


TESTIMONIALS.  7 

From  the  Rev.   Mr.  Balch,  of  the    Universalist 

Church. 

"This  certifies  that  I  have  heard  the  Rev. 
Jonathan  Greenleaf  read  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
rise,  progress,  and  present  condition  of  the  Uni- 
versalist Churches  in  this  city,  and  that  I  believe 
his  relation  to  be  correct." 

WM.  S.  BALCH, 

Pastor  of  the  Bleecker  Street  Universalist  Society. 
NEW  YORK,  May  18,  1846. 


From  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harrison)  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church. 

"  This  may  certify  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Green- 
leaf  has  read  to  me  his  sketch  of  the  History 
of  the  Congregational  Churches  in  this  city,  and 
I  believe  it  to  be  correct." 

JOSEPH  HARRISON, 

Pastor  of  the  Providence  Chapel,  Thompson  Street,  N.  Y. 
NEW  YORK,  May  16,  1846. 

The  information  respecting  the  Jews,  the 
Friends,  the  New  Jerusalem  Church,  the  Uni- 
tarian Church,  and  tke  Christian  Church,  was 
furnished  to  a  considerable  extent  by  leading  men 
in  those  denominations,  and  hence  it  was  con- 
sidered unnecessary  to  obtain  any  certificates  to 
the  accuracy  of  the  sketches  of  tuose  bodies. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH, 
1626. 


THE  city  of  New  York  being  originally  set- 
tled by  the  Dutch,  it  was  very  natural  that 
the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  should  have 
the  precedency  among  the  people.  And  so 
it  was.  There  were  members  of  that  church 
in  New  York  as  early  as  the  year  1620,  and 
it  is  believed  that,  in  1626,  a  church  organi- 
zation was  effected.  From  1639,  there  are 

i  j 

regular  records. 

The  Dutch  having  obtained  permission 
of  the  natives,  built  a  fort  on  Manhattan 
Island  in  1623.  This  fort  stood  on  what  is 
called  "  the  Battery,"  not  far,  as  is  said,  from 
the  "Bowling  Green."  It  was  a  large 
square,  containing  several  houses,  and  in 
1642,  a  church  edifice  was  erected  in  the 

south-east  corner  of  the  fort,  which  stood 
2 


10  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

nearly  one  hundred  years,  and  was  finally 
burnt  down  in  1741,  and  not  again  rebuilt. 

The  building  of  this  first  church  is  thus 
related  in  "  Watson's  Olden  Time."  "  The 
Dutch  Reformed  Church  was  erected  within 
the  fort  by  Gov.  Keift,  in  1642,  being  a  stone 
structure,  with  split  oaken  shingles,  then 
called  'wooden  slate.'  The  cause  and 
manner  of  its  establishment  has  been 
curiously  related  by  DeVries,  saying,  '  As  I 
was  every  day  with  Commander  Keift,  I 
told  him,  that  as  he  had  now  made  a  fine 
tavern,  the  Stadt-herberg,  at  Coenties  slip, 
that  we  also  wanted  very  badly  a  church ; 
for  until  then  we  had  nothing  but  a  mean 
barn  (in  appearance)  for  our  worship ; 
whereas  in  New  England,  their  first  concern 
was  a  fine  church,  and  we  ought  to  do  the 
same.  Wherefore  I  told  him  I  would  con- 
tribute a  hundred  guilders,  and  he,  as  Gov- 
ernor, should  precede  me.  Whereupon 
we  agreed,  and  chose  J.  P.  Kuyter,  I.  C. 
Damen,  with  ourselves,  as  four  Kerch  Mees- 
ters,  to  superintend  the  building.  John  and 
Richard  Ogden  contracted  to  build  the  same 
of  stone  for  2,500  guilders,  say  £416.  It 
was  to  be  seventy-feet  by  fifty-two,  and  six- 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       11 

teen  feet  high.'  Before  another  house  of 
worship  was  erected,  the  city  had  begun  to 
be  settled  a  little  further  out,  so  that  in  1695 
there  was  about  850  families  found  here, 
divided  in  six  denominations,  viz.  Dutch 
families  within  the  fort,  90;  Dutch  Cal- 
vinists, 450 ;  Dutch  Lutherans,  30  ;  French, 
200  ;  Jews,  20  ;  English  dissenters,  40 ;  and 
about  20  families  of  Dutch  Calvinists  at 
Harlem.  Rev.  Dr.  Henricus  Selyns,  or  So- 
linus,  as  he  is  sometimes  called,  preached  to 
the  Dutch  Calvinists  in  the  city  proper,  and 
at  Harlem ;  Dr.  Perot  was  the  French  minis- 
ter ;  and  Saul  Brown  was  the  minister  of  the 
Jews.  The  Lutheran  congregation  was 
very  small,  and  it  is  not  known  whether 
they  had  any  stated  minister.  As  the  people 
began  to  stretch  themselves  abroad,  another 
church  was  projected,  and  was  built  in  1693, 
in  what  was  then  called  '  Garden  Alley,'  but 
afterwards  '  Garden  Street,'  and  now  '  Ex- 
change Place,'  running  in  the  rear  of  the 
Merchants'  Exchange,  and  thence  into 
Broad  street.  The  ground  here  had  been 
laid  out  and  cultivated  with  much  taste,  and 
hence,  probably,  the  name  '  Garden  Alley' 
was  given  to  the  street  passing  by  it.  The 


12       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

location  of  a  church  here  was  objected  to  by 
some  as  being  '  too  far  out  of  town,'  but  was 
finally  carried.  '  A  rare  demur,'  says  the 
writer  of  the  account, '  in  our  modern  views 
of  distance.'  This  was  afterwards  called 
'  The  South  Church.'  " 

The  building  was  eight  square,  with  a 
tower  or  steeple  in  the  centre  of  the  roof.  In 
1776,  the  edifice  was  enlarged  and  repaired. 
The  last  sermon  ever  preached  in  it  was 
delivered  to  fourteen  hearers.  It  was  closed 
for  some  time,  and  in  1807,  was  rebuilt  of 
stone,  sixty-six  feet  long,  and  fifty  wide,  and 
a  large  congregation  continued  to  assemble 
there  until,  in  1813,  it  was  separated  from 
the  Collegiate  Church;  and  became  a  distinct 
charge. 

MIDDLE  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

The  increasing  population  of  the  city 
made  it  necessary  for  the  Dutch  Church  to 
erect  another  house  of  worship  not  many 
years  after  the  erection  of  the  South,  or 
Garden  Street  Church.  This  was  built  on 
Nassau  street,  between  Cedar  and  Liberty 
streets.  Until  the  erection  of  a  third  build- 
ing this  was  called  "  The  New  Church,"  but 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       13 

has  been  known  for  many  years  as  "  The 
Middle  Dutch  Church."  This  was  opened 
in  1729.  It  is  a  most  substantial  stone 
building,  100  feet  long,  and  70  feet  wide, 
with  a  good  steeple  and  bell.  When  first 
built  it  had  no  gallery,  and  the  ceiling  was 
one  entire  arch  without  pillars.  The  pulpit 
was  on  the  eastern  side.  It  remained  in 
this  form  for  more  than  thirty  years,  but  in 
1764,  the  pulpit  was  removed  to  the  north 
end  of  the  house,  a  gallery  was  erected  on 
the  three  other  sides,  and  large  pillars  put 
up  to  support  the  roof.  During  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  it  was  closed  as  a  place  of  wor- 
ship, and  used  by  the  British  as  a  prison 
and  a  riding-school,  while  the  pews  and 
other  wood-work  were  torn  up  and  used  as 
fuel.  After  the  war  it  was  repaired,  and 
continued  as  a  place  of  worship,  becoming, 
as  is  believed,  the  birth-place  of  many  souls, 
until  the  year  1844,  when  the  business  of  the 
city  having  increased  so  much  around  it, 
that  almost  every  family  for  a  considerable 
distance  had  removed,  and  two  commodious 
houses  of  worship  belonging  to  the  collegiate 
church  having  been  previously  built  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  city,  it  was  thought  expe- 
2* 


14       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

dient  to  relinquish  public  worship  in  the 
Middle  Church.  A  farewell  meeting  was 
held  in  the  church  on  Sabbath  evening, 
August  11, 1844,  when  the  Rev.  Dr.  Knox, 
the  senior  pastor,  preached  from  John  iv.  20 
— 24,  showing  that  God  required  spiritual 
worship,  but  that  the  place  where  it  was  of- 
fered was  immaterial ;  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  De 
Witt,  one  of  the  colleague  pastors,  presented 
an  outline  of  the  history  of  the  Church,  and 
pronounced  the  benediction  in  the  Dutch 
language.  It  was  then  leased  to  the  govern- 
ment for  the  city  Post  Office,  the  exterior  of 
the  building  being  not  materially  altered, 
and  the  cemetery  around  it  remaining  un- 
touched. 

NORTH  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

The  Dutch  congregation,  finding  their 
two  churches  in  Garden  Street  and  Nassau 
street,  would  not  accommodate  the  people, 
projected  the  building  of  another,  on  Wil- 
liam street,  corner  of  Fulton  street,  and 
it  was  erected  on  ground  given  to  the  church 
by  John  Harpending,  Esq;  the  corner- 
stone of  the  building  was  laid  July  2d,  1767, 
and  the  house  was  completed  and  opened 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.        15 

for  public  worship  May  2oth,  1769.  It  was 
called  "  The  North  Dutch  Church."  It  is  a 
fine  stone  building,  measuring  100  feet  by 
70,  with  a  lofty  steeple,  and  was  built  at  a 
cost  of  £11,948  9s.  4d.  In  1842,  the  inte- 
rior of  the  building  was  remodelled,  and 
somewhat  modernized^  but  the  exterior  pre- 
serves the  stately,  venerable,  and  imposing 
appearance  of  ancient  times.  Until  a  few 
years  before  the  erection  of  the  North 
Church,  all  the  public  religious  services  had 
been  held  in  the  Dutch  language.  But  the 
increase  of  the  English  language  among  the 
people,  and  the  proportionate  decline  of  the 
Dutch,  became  too  apparent  to  escape  the 
notice  of  observing  men  ;  and  it  became  more 
and  more  evident  to  reflecting  minds  that 
unless  the  English  language  was  introduc- 
ed, the  younger  people  would  attach  them- 
selves to  churches  where  that  language  was 
used,  and  the  Dutch  churches  would  dwin- 
dle away.  Long  discussions  were  held  on 
this  subject,  and  no  little  excitement  was 
produced  by  the  resolution  which  was  final- 
ly adopted  by  the  Consistory  of  the  Colle- 
giate Church  to  call  a  minister  who  should 
officiate  in  the  English  language,  while  the 


16       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

Dutch  was  still  to  be  continued  for  a  part  of 
each  Sabbath.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Laidlie  was 
the  person  called,  and  he  preached  his  first 
sermon  in  English  in  the  Middle  Dutch 
Church,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  last  Sabbath 
in  March,  1764,  from  2  Cor.  v.,  11,  "  Know- 
ing therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  per- 
suade men"  All  the  services  were  con- 
ducted in  English  except  the  singing,  which 
was  performed  in  Dutch,  led  by  Jacobus 
Van  Antwerp,  "  the  fore  singer,"  as  the  con- 
gregation were  unacquainted  with  English 
psalmody.  The  house  was  densely  crowd- 
ed, the  aisles  were  filled,  many  climbed  up  in 
the  windows,  and  many  of  the  most  re- 
spectable people  stood  through  the  whole 
exercise.* 

NINTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  is  a  plain  though  a  substantial  brick 
building,  without  a  spire,  94  feet  long,  and 
64  wide,  erected  in  the  year  1837,  on  the 
north  side  of  Ninth  street,  between  Broad- 
way and  the  Bowery.  It  is  found  a  very 
convenient  location  for  a  large  portion  of  the 
Collegiate  Church  who  have  removed  to 
that  section  of  the  city. 

*  See  "  Olden  Time  in  New  York,"  pages  17, 18. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.  17 

CHURCH  ON  LAFAYETTE  PLACE. 

This  is  an  elegant  modern  built  granite 
edifice  erected  by  the  Collegiate  Church  in 
1839.  It  measures  110  feet  by  75,  and  will 
comfortably  accommodate  nearly  1500  per- 
sons. It  stands  on  the  corner  of  Lafayette 
place  and  Fourth  street,  near  Broadway. 
These  three  Churches,  viz.,  "  The  North 
Church,"  now,  however,  Ihe  most  southern 
of  all  the  Dutch  Churches,  the  Ninth  Street 
Church,  and  the  Church  on  Lafayette  place, 
are  now  the  places  of  worship  for  the  "  Col- 
legiate Dutch  Church,"  and  are  under  but 
one  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction.  At  the  last 
report,  in  June,  1845,  the  Collegiate  Church 
contained  490  families,  and  1376  members 
in  communion.  There  are  now  in  the 
Church  four  stated  pastors. 

The   following  list  exhibits  the  names  of 
the  pastors  of  the  Collegiate  Church,  with 
the  dates  of  their  installation,  and  dismis- 
sion or  death,  so  far  as  it  is  known  : 
Rev.  Everanius  Bogardus,  died  1517. 

f  brothers     and      col- 

T,       T  u  ,,          1-1  leagues  in   1619,  the 

Rev.  Johannes  Megapolensis,  I  ,^  named  &  physi. 


Rev.  Samuel  Megapolensis,     f  cjan    Ljttie  is  known 
(.  of  either. 


18  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

Rev.  Samuel  Drissius,  was  settled  as  colleague  with 
Samuel  Megapolensis  who  survived  his  brother, — 
both  were  dead  in  1669. 

Rev.  Wilhelmus  Van  Nieuenhuysen,  D.D.,  called 
from  Holland  in  1671,  removed  to  Brooklyn  in 
1676,  but  officiated  some  in  New  York  till  his 
death  in  1680. 

Rev.  Henricus  Solyns,  called  from  Holland  to  Brook- 
lyn in  1660,  and  officiated  there  and  at  Gov.  Stuy- 
vesant's  Chapel  at  the  Bouwerie,  for  about  a  year, 
when  he  returned  to  Holland.  Recalled  to  the 
Collegiate  Church  in  1682,  and  died  1700. 

Rev.  Gualterus  Dubbis,  installed  1699,  died  1756. 

Rev.  Henricus  Boel,  settled  as  colleague  with  Mr. 
Dubois  1713,  and  died  1754. 

Rev.  Johannes  Ritzema,  settled  as  colleague  with  the 
two  preceding  in  1744,  left  the  city  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war  in  1776,  and  died  at  Kinder- 
hook  in  1796. 

Rev.  Lambertus  de  Ronde,  settled  in  1751,  the  three 
preceding  being  then  living,  and  died  at  Schagti- 
coke  in  1795. 

Rev.  Archibald  Laidlie,  D.D.,  called  to  preach  in  Eng- 
lish in  1764,  died  of  consumption  at  Redhook,  1778, 
aged  51. 

Rev.  John  H.  Livingston,  D.D.,  settled  in  1770,  re- 
signed his  charge,  having  been  appointed  Professor 
of  Theology  in  the  Seminary  at  New  Brunswick,  in 
1810,  where  he  died  Jan.  20,  1825,  aged  79. 

Rev.  William  Linn,  settled  in  1785,  dismissed  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health  in  1805,  died  at  Albany,  Jan., 
1808. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       19 

Rev.  Gerardus  A.  Kuypers,  installed  May,  1789,  died 
June  28,  1833. 

Rev.  John  N.  Abeel,  installed  in  1795,  died  Jan.  19, 
1812,  after  a  lingering  sickness  of  seven  years. 

Rev.  John  Schureman,  settled  1809,  dismissed  in 
1811,  having  been  elected  a  professor  in  the  Col- 
lege at  New  Brunswick. 

Rev.  Jacob  Brodhead,  D.D.,  installed  Dec.,  1809,  re- 
signed the  charge  1813. 

Rev.  Philip  Milledoler,  D.D.,  settled  Feb.,  1813,  re- 
signed the  charge  Feb.,  1825. 

Rev.  John  Knox,  D.D.,  ordained  and  installed  July  14, 
1816,  still  living. 

Rev.  Paschal  N.  Strong,  ordained  and  installed  July 
14,  1816,  died  at  St.  Croix,  W.  I.,  April  7,  1825. 

Rev.  Wm.  C.  Brownlee,  D.D.,  installed  June  17, 
1826,  still  living. 

Rev.  Thomas  De  Witt,  D.D.,  installed  Sept.  16,  1827, 
still  living. 

Rev.  Thomas  E.  Vermilye,  D.D.,  installed  Nov., 
1839,  still  living. 

GARDEN  STREET,  OR  SOUTH  CHURCH. 

As  before  stated,  the  Garden  Street,  or 
South  Church  was  originally  a  part  of  the 
collegiate  charge,  and  in  this  relation  it  re- 
mained until  the  year  1813,  when  it  was 
separated,  and  the  Rev.  James  M.  Mathews 
was  installed  its  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  Mathews 
remained  sole  pastor  of  the  church  until  1834, 


20       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

when  the  Rev.  Mancius  S.  Hulton  was 
installed  as  colleague  pastor;  Dr.  Mathews 
being  then  Chancellor  of  the  University 
of  New  York.  At  the  great  fire  in  New 
York,  on  the  l6th  of  December,  1835,  the 
church  edifice  in  Garden  street  was  burnt, 
although  the  walls  were  left  standing.  But 
it  was  thought  best  not  to  repair  or  rebuild 
on  that  spot,  as  almost  every  family  had  re- 
moved from  that  vicinity,  and  stores  and  large 
warehouses  occupied  the  place  of  dwellings. 
After  due  consideration  a  site  was  selected 
for  a  church  edifice  on  Murray  street,  corner 
of  Church  street,  and  preparations  made  to 
erect  a  building.  A  part  of  the  people,  how- 
ever, had  a  preference  for  the  upper  part  of 
the  city,  and  a  new  building  was  projected 
to  stand  on  "Wooster  street,  fronting  Wash- 
ington square,  and  a  new  church  was 
organized,  called  the  "  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  on  Washington  Square."  Both 
pastors  resigned  the  charge  of  the  "  South 
Church,"  and  became  colleague  pastors  of 
the  new  church.  The  church  edifice  on 
Murray  street  was  completed  and  opened 
toward  the  close  of  the  year  1837,  and  in 
April,  1838,  the  Rev.  John  M.  Macauley  was 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  "  South 
Dutch  Church,"  which  office  he  still  sustains. 
The  church  numbers  261  in  communion. 

CHURCH  ON  WASHINGTON  SQUARE. 

This  church  was  organized  in  April, 
1837,  and  consisted  of  49  original  members. 
Rev.  Dr.  Mathews  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hutton 
became  pastors  of  the  church,  and  com- 
menced preaching  in  the  chapel  of  the 
University,  until  the  new  edifice  was  com- 
pleted in  1840.  In  1842  Dr.  Mathews  re- 
signed his  charge,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Hutton 
remains  sole  pastor.  The  church  numbers 
243  in  communion. 

CHURCH  AT  HARLEM. 

It  is  difficult,  if  nojt  quite  impossible,  to 
ascertain  with  precision  when  a  church 
organization  was  effected  at  Harlem.  Dutch 
settlers  were  there  very  early,  but  whether  they 
were  in  connection  with  the  Collegiate  Church, 
or  whether  they  were  formed  into  a  distinct 
church,  there  are  no  records  to  show.  It  is 
stated  in  the  old  Dutch  Records  of  Harlem, 
that  on  September  30,  1686,  the  Rev. 
3 


22       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

Henricus  Solyns  preached  the  first  sermon 
in  a  new  church  then  built,  and  administered 
the  Lord's  Supper.  Hence,  there  was  then 
a  church  and  a  house  of  worship.  The 
want  of  records  prevent*  also  any  definite 
information  concerning  the  names  of  the 
ministers  who  may  have  officiated  here, 
for  nearly  100  years  after  this.  The  first 
minister  of  whom  we  have  any  definite  ac- 
count was  the  Rev.  Marlinus  Schoonmaker, 
who  held  the  pastoral  office  at  Harlem  pre- 
vious to  the  year  1785,  officiating  there  and 
at  Gravesend ;  but  he  left  in  that  year,  and 
become  pastor  of  the  Dutch  Church  in 
Flatbush,  where  he  died  May  20,  1824,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  87  years.  It  is  not 
known  precisely  how  long  he  had  preached 
at  Harlem.  Up  to  this  time  it  is  supposed 
that  the  services  at  Harlem  had  been  con- 
ducted in  the  Dutch  language,  but  it  is 
doubtful  whether  preaching  in  that  language 
was  continued  after  this.^  After  the  dis- 
mission of  Mr.  Schoonmaker,  the  church  at 

*  The  supposition  that  the  public  services  at  Harlem 
had  been  performed  in  Dutch  is  grounded  on  the  fact  that 
Mr.  Schoonmaker  always  preached  in  Dutch  at  Flatbush, 
never  having;  attempted  it  in  English  but  once. — See 
Prime's  History  of  Long  Island,  page  328. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       23 

Harlem  remained  destitute  of  a  stated  pastor 
for  the  space  of  nearly  six  years,  but  in 
September,  1791,  a  call  was  presented  to  the 
Rev.  John  F.  Jackson,  which  he  accepted. 
Mr.  Jackson  remained  pastor  of  the  church 
more  than  thirteen  years,  and  resigned  the 
charge  in  April,  1805.  Immediately  after 
this  -the  church  called  the  Rev.  Philip  Mille- 
doler,  which  he  declined.  The  next  pastor 
of  this  church  was  the  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Romeyn,  who  was  settled  here  in  April,  1806. 
After  about  seven  years  some  difficulties 
arose,  and  at  the  meeting  of  classis  in 
November,  1813,  Mr.  Romeyn  requested  to 
be  dismissed,  the  church  consenting  thereto. 
But  the  classis  declined  to  comply  with  the 
request.  In  January  following  this  request 
was  renewed  and  granted.  But  the  troubles 
in  the  church  did  not  erld  with  the  dismis- 
sion of  the  minister,  and  in  October,  1814, 
the  classis  appointed  a  committee  of  investi- 
gation, and  after  about  eighteen  months,  the 
congregation  united  in  presenting  a  call  to 
Mr.  Cornelius  C.  Vermule,  which  he  accept- 
ed. This  took  place  in  September,  1816. 
Rev.  Dr.  Vermule  continued  his  labors  at 
Harlem  acceptably  and  usefully  for  the  term 


24       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

of  twenty  years,  when  his  health  becoming 
impaired,  he  resigned  his  charge  in  October, 
1836,  and  after  a  vacancy  of  something  over 
a  year,  the  present  pastor  of  the  church,  the 
Rev.  Richard  L.  Schoonmaker,  was  ordained 
in  March,  1838. 

GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

Among  the  very  early  inhabitants  of  New 
York  were  some  Germans,  both  Lutherans 
and  Calvinists,  and,  as  might  of  course  be 
expected,  they  had  some  church  order  here 
in  the  "  olden  time."  But  of  their  very  early 
movements  little  or  no  record  remains.  We 
have  some  few  traces  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  but  nothing  very  distinct  of  the  Cal- 
vinistic  part, — generally  known  as  the  "  Ger- 
man Reformed," — until  about  the  year  1758. 
Before  this  the  German  emigrants  to  New 
York,  who  were  in  sentiment  Calvinists,  and 
who  understood  the  Low  Dutch  language, 
attached  themselves  to  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church,  while  those  who  could  speak  Ger- 
man only  were  constrained  to  attend  the 
Lutheran  Church,  where  the  service  was  in 
German.  But  about  the  year  1758,  the 
number  having  considerably  increased,  a 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       25 

meeting  was  established  of  the  members  of 
the  true  German  Reformed  Church.  A  sub- 
scription was  made  to  support  a  minister, 
and  a  building,  formerly  used  as  a  theatre, 
was  purchased  for  $1250,  and  fitted  up  as  a 
place  of  worship.  It  stood  on  Nassau  street, 
between  John  street  and  Maiden  Lane. 
The  first  minister  employed  was  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Rozencrantz,  who  had  been  preaching  lo  a 
small  congregation  of  Germans  on  the 
Mohawk  river,  and  was  driven  off  by  the 
Indians.  He  officiated  in  the  German 
Church  in  New  York  for  about  a  year- 
Two  others,  whose  names  are  unknown, 
succeeded,  but  neither  remained  long.  After 
this  the  Church  wrote  to  the  Consistory  of 
Heidelburgh,  requesting  them  to  send  over 
a  suitable  man  for  their  minister,  and  accord- 
ingly the  Rev.  J.  M.  Kern  was  sent,  and 
arrived  in  New  York  in  Sept.,  1763,  and  took 
charge  of  the  congregation.  By  his  advice 
the  church  adopted  the  name  of  the  "  German 
Reformed  Congregation  in  New  York," 
attaching  themselves  to  the  Classis  of  Am- 
sterdam and  Synod  of  North  Holland.  This 
brought  them  at  once  into  connection  with 
the  Collegiate  Reformed  Dutch  Church  in 


26        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

this  city ;  and  when  a  regular  call  of  the 
German  Church  was  made  out  for  Mr. 
Kern  to  take  the  pastoral  office,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
De  Ronde,  of  the  Collegiate  Church,  presided 
at  the  meeting,  and  Mr.  Kern  was  installed 
by  the  ministers  of  the  Collegiate  Church  on 
January  27,  1764.  The  congregation  had 
not  occupied  their  house  of  worship  for  a 
year,  when,  being  already  an  old  and  decay- 
ed building,  they  found  it  necessary  to  take 
it  down  and  rebuild  it.  This  was  done  in  the 
year  1765,  the  corner-stone  being  laid  on  the 
8th  of  March  in  that  year,  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Kern  and  the  consistory  of  the  church,  each 
one  placing  a  stone  of  the  foundation.  Mr. 
Kern  continued  with  the  church  but  a  few 
years  after  this,  and  was  succeeded,  in  1772, 
by  Rev.  C.  F.  Foering,  who  was  installed  in 
May  in  that  year  by  the  ministers  of  the 
Collegiate  Church,  as  his  predecessor  had 
been.  Mr.  Foering  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Gebhard,  who  was  pastor  in  1776,  when 
the  British  took  possession  of  the  city.  He 
then  went  to  Claverack,  a  town  back  of 
Hudson,  where  he  preached  till  his  death. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war,  in  Dec., 
1783,  the  church  obtained  as  a  pastor  the 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       27 

Rev.  J.  D.  Gross,  and  after  him,  in  May, 
1795,  the  Rev.  Philip  Milledoler  was  called, 
and  continued  pastor  of  the  church  for  about 
ten  years.  About  this  time  very  trying  con- 
troversies arose  in  the  church,  and  parties 
were  arrayed  against  each  other.  They  still 
had  preaching.  Rev.  Mr.  Runkle,  Rev.  Mr. 
Dryer,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  successively 
ministered  to  the  congregation  from  1805  to 
1814,  although  the  regularity  of  their  several 
settlements  was  called  in  question  by  parties 
among  themselves.  In  the  year  1804,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Labagh  was  called,  with  the  appro- 
bation of  the  Classis,  and  continued  as  pas- 
tor, in  a  state  of  tolerable  quiet,  until  the 
year  1822,  when  he  resigned  his  charge.  At 
this  time  the  congregation  thought  it  best  to 
dispose  of  their  house  of  worship  in  Nassau 
street,  and  erect  a  new  church  edifice  in 
Forsyth  street,  which  was  accordingly  done. 
The  old  building  was  sold.  It  is  still  stand- 
ing on  Nassau  street,  near  Maiden  Lane, 
and  is  converted  into  an  eating-house,  known 
as  "  Gosling's  Dining  Saloon."  It  bears  the 
street  numbers  of  64  and  66. 

The  first  minister  in  the  new  house  was 
the   Rev.    Charles    Knouse,  who   officiated 


28        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

there  until  the  year  1827.  Rev.  George 
Mills  succeeded  him  in  1828,  and  continued 
to  officiate  for  five  years,  leaving  in  1833. 
In  the  next  year  the  Lutheran  party,  who  had 
been  struggling  in  the  church  for  many 
years,  obtained  possession,  and,  under  their 
auspices,  the  Rev.  Lewis  Smith  officiated 
three  years,  from  1834  to  1837,  when  he 
died. 

The  question  of  right  to  the  church  edifice 
had  been  before  the  State  Court  of  Chancery 
for  some  time,  and  was  undecided  at  the  time 
of  Mr.  Smith's  death.  After  this  event  took 
place,  in  the  early  part  of  1838,  Rev.  John  S. 
Ebaugh  commenced  preaching  in  the  church 
for  the  "  German  Reformed,"  but  before  the 
close  of  the  year  the  Lutheran  party  were 
put  in  possession  of  the  property  by  a  deci- 
sion of  the  Vice  Chancellor.  Thus  matters 
remained  until  the  spring  of  1844,  when  the 
Chancellor  reversed  the  decision  before  given, 
and  gave  back  the  house  to  the  German  Re- 
formed Church,  and  the  Lutherans  retired 
to  a  hall  on  Grand  street,  making  a  final 
appeal  to  the  "  Court  of  Errors."  In  Jan., 
1846,  this  court  reversed  the  decision  of  the 
Chancellor,  and  the  Lutherans  again  took 
possession  of  the  house  of  worship. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.  29 

REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH  AT  GREENWICH. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  classis  of  New  York, 
in  November,  1803,  a  request  was  made  in 
behalf  of  a  number  of  members  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch   Church,  residing  at  Green- 
wich, "  to  be  constituted  and.  organized  into 
a  congregation  in  connection  with,  and  under 
the  jurisdiction  of,  the  classis."    This  request 
was  granted,  and  on  the  9th  of  December 
following,  the  church  was  duly  organized. 
The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  the  Rev. 
Stephen  N.  Rowan,  who  was  ordained  and 
installed  in  December,  1807,  and  continued 
his  labors  until  August,  1819,  when  some 
difficulties   arising  between   him   and    the 
consistory,  the  pastoral  connection  was  dis- 
solved, and   a  portion  of  the  congregation 
leaving  with  him,  they  organized  what  was 
called  "  The  Eighth  Presbyterian   Church," 
and  erected  a  house  of  worship  on  Christo- 
pher street,  formerly  called  "  Skinner  road." 
Rev.  Charles  Hardenburgh  succeeded   Mr. 
Rowan   in    the   Dutch    Church,   being   in- 
stalled in  May,  1820,  but  was  removed  by 
death  in  September  of  the  next  year.     The 
next  pastor   of  the  church   was   the   Rev 


30        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

Nicholas  I.  Marselus,  who  commenced  his 
labors  in  April,  1822. 

The  old  church  edifice  which  was  built  in 
1802,  and  enlarged  in  1807,  and  in  which 
the  congregation  then  worshipped,  was  a 
wooden  building,  standing  midway  between 
Amos  and  Charles  streets.  This  was  found 
to  be  too  small  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
increasing  congregation,  and  in  1826  it  was 
sold  to  a  society  of  Reformed  Presbyterians, 
and  removed  entire  to  Waverley  Place,  near 
Grove  street,  where  it  now  stands.  "  The 
removal  of  a  church  entire,  with  a  spire, 
containing  a  public  clock,  and  in  motion 
during  the  time,  was  regarded  as  a  very 
novel  sight,  and  the  novelty  was  heightened 
by  the  fact  that  while  it  was  under  way 
through  Charles  street  to  Fourth  street,  a 
congregation  was  assembled  within  its 
walls,  to  whom  a  sermon  was  delivered  from 
the  pulpit  by  a  clergyman  who  had  been 
engaged  by  the  mover  for  this  purpose."* 
In  the  place  of  the  building  thus  sold,  a  very 
substantial  and  commodious  brick  edifice 
was  erected  in  Bleecker  street,  corner  of 
Amos  street,  and  opened  that  year. 

*  Rev.  Dr.  Marselus'  Anniversary  Sermon,  page  33. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

The  labors  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Marselus,  who 
continues  pastor  of  the  church,  have  been 
very  successful,  and  notwithstanding  the 
formation  of  many  churches  around,  the 
communicants  in  that  church  were  525  at 
their  last  annual  report,  and  the  number  of 
families  in  the  congregation  300,  a  larger 
church  and  congregation  than  any  other 
Dutch  Church  in  the  city,  with  the  single 
exception  of  the  Collegiate  Church,  which 
has  four  ministers,  and  three  places  of  wor- 
ship. 

CHURCH  ON  TWENTY-FIRST  STREET. 

This  church  was  a  branch  of  the  Reform- 
ed Dutch  Church  at  Greenwich,  and  though 
very  recent  in  its  date,  is  very  properly  in- 
troduced here.  Many  of  those  who  attend- 
ed the  church  at  Greenwich  resided  far 
above  the  location  of  that  church,  and  the 
ultimate  establishment  of  another  Dutch 
Church  in  that  section  of  the  city  had  been 
for  a  long  time  an  object  of  deep  solicitude 
with  many  persons.  Several  years  before  it 
took  place,  the  late  Rev.  John  F.  Jackson 
communicated  his  intention  to  give  freely  a 


32        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

sufficient  plot  of  ground  for  church  pur- 
poses, whenever  a  Dutch  Church  should  be 
organized  in  that  region  ;  and  when  it  was 
found  that  a  sufficient  number  of  families 
and  church  members  were  collected  to  war- 
rant the  undertaking,  measures  were  taken 
to  organize  a  church,  secure  the  ground,  and 
erect  a  suitable  building.  Before  this  took 
place,  Mr.  Jackson  had  departed  to  his  rest, 
but  his  widow  and  children  promptly  and 
cheerfully  carried  out  his  design. 

The  Church  was  organized  in  the  Green- 
wich Church,  March  20, 1836,  and  here  they 
continued  to  worship  for  nearly  three  years, 
until  a  house  of  worship  was  prepared  for 
their  reception.  This  was  accomplished  in 
1838,  when  a  convenient  building  of  brick 
was  erected  on  Twenty-First  street,  near 
Fifth  Avenue,  fifty-six  feet  long,  and  thirty- 
four  feet  wide.  Soon  after  this,  the  Rev. 
Edward  H.  May  was  installed  pastor  of  the 
church,  in  which  office  he  still  continues. 
Forty  families  were  reported  in  the  congre- 
gation in  June  last,  and  sixty-seven  mem- 
bers in  communion. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

BLOOMINGDALE  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

About  five  miles  from  the  City  Hall,  near 
the  North  river,  there  was  very  early  a  little 
village  called  "  Harsenville,"  from  the  name 
of  some  of  the  first  settlers.  That  name  is 
nearly  lost  at  this  day, — the  whole  district 
around  being  known  as  "  Bloomingdale." 
The  Dutch  people  there,  who  were  religious, 
were  generally  connected  with  the  Collegiate 
Church,  but,  being  at  an  inconvenient  dis- 
tance from  the  place  of  public  worship,  in 
the  early  part  of  the  year  1805,  Mr.  Jacob 
Harsen  erected  on  his  own  land  a  small 
wooden  building  for  a  house  of  worship,  and 
it  was  publicly  dedicated  as  such  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Livingston,  on  the  last  Sabbath  in 
June,  1805.  On  the  9th  of  September,  in 
the  same  year,  a  church  of  four  members 
was  organized  by  Dr.  Livingston  in  the 
house  of  Mr.  Harsen,  and  called  "  The  Har- 
senville Church,"  but  now  known  as  the 
Bloomingdale  Dutch  Church.  To  this  church 
another  member  was  soon  added,  and  the 
officers  were  duly  installed,  October  20th, 
and  the  house  of  worship  was  conveyed  to 
the  church  by  Mr.  Harsen. 
4 


34        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the  Rev. 
Alexander  Gunn,  who  was  called  May  21st, 
1808.  The  church,  being  few  in  number, 
struggled  along  under  many  embarrassments 
for  about  six  years,  when,  in  the  midst  of 
pecuniary  difficulties,  they  resolved  to  erect  a 
better  church  edifice.  A  successful  effort  was 
accordingly  made,  and  a  substantial  building 
of  stone  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $16,000. 
It  stands  on  68th  Street,  between  9th  and 
10th  Avenues,  and  measures  65  feet  by  55, 
and,  what  is  worthy  of  special  remark,  the 
efforts  of  the  people  were  so  successful  that 
when  the  house  was  finished  they  were  less 
in  debt  than  when  they  began, — evincing 
how  a  kind  Providence  favors  those  who 
seek  the  promotion  of  his  glory  in  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  The  old 
house  of  worship  continued  to  be  used  for 
evening  services  and  meetings  on  week  days 
until  1832,  when  it  was  consumed  by  fire. 

Dr.  Gunn  continued  pastor  of  the  church 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  October  1st, 
1828,  in  the  44th  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
20th  year  of  his  ministry. 

Rev.  Francis  M.  Kip  was  the  second  pas- 
tor of  the  church.  He  was  called  July  8th, 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       35 

1830,  and  resigned  his  charge  September 
27th,  1831. 

The  church  was  then  supplied  for  six 
months  by  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Labagh,  and  after- 
wards, for  two  years  and  a  half,  by  Rev. 
John  Alburtis.  The  third  and  present  pas- 
tor of  the  church  is  the  Rev.  Enoch  Van 
Aken,  who  was  called  to  the  pastoral  charge 
May  26th,  1835. 

The  present  number  of  members  in  the 
church  is  82. 

THE  NORTH-WEST  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

About  the  year  1807,  it  was  thought 
proper  to  attempt  the  establishment  of  an- 
other Reformed  Dutch  Church.  Accordingly 
a  site  was  selected  for  a  building  by  the 
Consistory  of  the  Collegiate  Church,  on 
Franklin  street,  between  Church  and  Chapel 
streets, — now  "West  Broadway;  and  in  the 
course  of  that  year  the  organization  was 
effected,  and  though  organized  as  a  branch 
of  the  Collegiate  Church,  yet  when  they  be- 
gan to  act  it  was  in  an  independent  manner} 
and  so  they  have  continued.  It  was  incor- 
porated under  the  statute  as  "  The.  North- 


36        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

west  Dutch  Church,"  though  it  is  generally 
known  among  the  people  as  the  "  Franklin 
Street  Church." 

The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  Christian  Bork,  who  was  called  here 
from  Schodac,  near  Albany,  in  the  spring  of 
1808,  and  continued  his  ministry  until  his 
death,  in  September,  1823.  The  history  of 
Mr.  Bork  is  interesting.  He  was  born  in  the 
city  of  Berlin,  in  Prussia,  about  the  year 
1756.  His  early  education  was  rather 
limited,  but  he  improved  well  what  advan- 
tages he  had,  joining  therewith  a  very  reten- 
tive memory,  a  large  share  of  excellent  com- 
mon sense,  and  a  remarkably  enterprising 
spirit.  When  he  was  about  18  years  of  age 
the  Revolutionary  war  commenced,  and  some 
Hessian  troops  being  about  to  be  sent  from 
Germany  to  assist  the  British  in  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  Colonies,  he  enlisted  as  a  common 
soldier  in  one  of  those  companies,  designing 
in  this  way  to  see  the  New  World.  Soon 
after  landing,  his  company  was  attached  to 
the  northern  army,  under  General  Burgoyne, 
and  he  was  captured  with  him  near  Saratoga, 
on  October  17th,  1777.  A  large  portion  of 
the  Hessian  soldiers  remained-in  the  country, 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       37 

adopting  it  finally  as  their  own.  Thus  did 
Mr.  Bork.  Directing  his  steps  towards 
Albany,  he  offered  himself  as  a  teacher,  and, 
as  he  spoke  both  High  and  Low  Dutch 
fluently,  he  was  well  received  by  the  Diutch 
people  in  that  region.  In  the  course  of  a 
few  years  he  married  into  a  respectable 
Dutch  family,  and  now  considering  himself 
a  citizen,  before  the  close  of  the  war,  he  en- 
listed in  the  American  army,  in  what  was 
termed  the  "  nine  months  service,"  served 
out  the  time,  and  obtained  an  honorable  dis- 
charge. 

After  leaving  the  army  Mr.  Bork  resum- 
ed the  business  of  teaching.  Until  this  time 
he  had  lead  a  careless  life ;  but  now  it  was 
ordered  in  Providence  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Liv- 
ingston should  visit  that  region  of  country? 
in  order  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  scattered 
population.  As  there  were  few  houses  of 
worship,  he  was  at  one  time  holding  a  meet- 
ing in  a  barn,  and  there  Mr.  Bork  heard  the 
word  unto  his  salvation,  and  with  his  cha- 
racteristic promptness,  he  embraced  the  offer 
of  eternal  life ;  and  though  many  obstacles 
lay  in  his  path,  he  resolved  to  encounter 

them  all,  and  make  his  way  into  the  min- 

4* 


38        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

istry.  He  was  encouraged  in  this  effort  by 
the  Kev.  Mr.  Bassett,  pastor  of  the  Dutch 
Church  in  Albany,  under  whose  direction  he 
pursued  his  studies,  until  he  was  licensed  to 
preach  the  gospel.  He  preached  to  good 
acceptance  for  several  years  in  the  vicinity 
of  Albany ;  and  was  pastor  of  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  at.Schodac,  when  he  was 
called  to  New  York.  His  ministry  in  Frank- 
lin street,  which  lasted  about  fifteen  years, 
was  productive  of  much  good.  His  public 
ministrations  were  plain,  scriptural  and  faith- 
ful, and  his  preaching  will  be  long  remem- 
bered by  those  who  were  privileged  to  hear 
it. 

Mr.  Bork  died  greatly  lamented,  as  before 
stated,  in  September,  1823,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  following  spring,  by  the  Rev. 
George  Dubois.  After  some  years  the  health 
of  Mr.  Dubois  became  impaired,  and  finding 
the  large  charge  of  the  church  in  Franklin 
street  more  than  he  could  sustain,  he  resign- 
ed it  in  the  summer  of  1837,  and  was  after- 
wards settled  in  the  Dutch  Church  in  Tar- 
rytown,  where  he  died.  The  next  pastor  of 
the  church  was  the  Rev.  Christopher  Hunt, 
who  was  installed  in  November,  1837.  The 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       39 

ministry  of  Mr.  Hunt  was  very  brief.  In  a 
little  more  than  a  year  after  his  settlement  he 
was  taken  sick,  and  he  died  May  7th,  1839, 
aged  38.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Hunt,  the 
Rev.  James  Harkness  was  hired  for  a  year, 
and  a  strong  desire  was  manifested  by  apart 
of  the  people  to  call  him  as  permanent  pas- 
tor ;  others  thought  differently,  and  the  result 
was  a  separation.  Nearly  the  whole  of  the 
consistory,  with  nearly  half  of  the  members 
of  the  church,  left,  and  with  Mr.  Harkness  as 
the  preacher,  established  separate  worship  in 
a  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Leo- 
nard street.  They  afterwards  united  with  the 
Laight  Street  Presbyterian  Church.  In  No- 
vember, 1840,  the  Rev.  James  B.  Harden- 
bergh,  D.D.,  was  installed  pastor  of  the 
Franklin  Street  Church.  Divine  Providence 
has  again  smiled  upon  them ;  their  desola- 
tions are  repaired  ;  their  house  of  worship  is 
well  filled  ;  and  they  reported  in  June  last, 
300  members  in  communion.  Dr.  Harden- 
bergh  is  still  their  pastor.- 

MARKET  STREET  CHURCH. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  Franklin 
Street  Church,  in  1807,  no  farther  attempt 


40       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

was  made  by  the  Dutch  Church  to  extend 
their  borders,  for  about  twelve  years,  and 
then  three  churches  were  added  in  quick 
succession,  viz:  Market  Street,  Houston 
Street,  and  Broome  Street. 

The  "  Market  Street  Church"  was  orga- 
nized in  September,  1819,  by  Rev.  Drs.  Mil- 
ledoler  and  Kuypers,  then  the  pastors  of  the 
Collegiate  Church,  when  thirty-one  members 
were  enrolled.  The  house  of  worship  now 
standing  on  Market  street,  at  the  corner  of 
Henry  street,  was  erected  during  that  sum- 
mer, and  occupied  immediately  by  the  newly 
constituted  body.  They  were  not  long  with- 
out a  pastor,  as  the  Rev.  William  McMurray 
was  ordained,  and  installed  as  such,  in  the 
following  year.  Dr.  McMurray  remained 
in  the  pastoral  office  in  this  church  for  15 
years,  and  was  removed  by  death  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1835.  The  church  was  vacant  for 
nearly  one  year,  when  the  Rev.  Isaac  Ferris, 
D.D.,  then  pastor  of  the  First  Dutch  Church 
in  Albany,  accepted  this  call,  and  was  in- 
stalled in  the  summer  of  1836, — he  is  still 
pastor.  A  large  congregation  assembles 
there,  and  the  church  reported,  in  June  last, 
four  hundred  and  forty-four  members. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.  41 

HOUSTON  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  ihe  year  1822,  an  effort  of  a  missionary 
character  was  made  to  provide  the  means  of 
grace  for  some  destitute  portions  of  the  popu- 
lation, and  the  Rev.  Stephen  Ostrander  was 
employed  as  a  preacher.  A  large  room  in 
the  Watch  house,  at  the  corner  of  Prince  and 
Wooster  streets,  was  procured,  and  a  meet- 
ing for  worship  was  held  here  for  several 
months,  the  people  having  in  view  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Reformed  Dutch  Church, 
somewhere  in  that  region.  As  the  matter 
ripened  for  an  effort  to  build,  there  was  a 
diversity  of  sentiment  as  to  the  place,  which 
resulted  in  a  separation,  amicably  accom- 
plished, but  of  course  demanding  a  great 
struggle  in  both  sections. 

The  church,  now  worshipping  on  Green 
street,  corner  of  Houston  street,  and  known 
as  the  "  Houston  Street  Dutch  Church,"  was 
first  formed.  A  consistory  of  three  elders, 
and  three  deacons,  was  organized  on  the 
15th  of  April,  1823,  and  at  the  communion 
in  June  following,  other  members  had  been 
added,  making  the  whole  number  at  that 
time  eighteen.  Arrangements  were  made 


42  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship,  which 
was  accomplished,  and  the  house  was  open- 
ed toward  the  close  of  the  year  1825.  Soon 
after  this,  the  Rev.  Eli  Baldwin  was  ordain- 
ed, and  installed  pastor  of  the  church.  After 
some  years  the  health  of  Dr.  Baldwin  de- 
clined, and  he  resigned  the  charge  of  the 
church  in  the  spring  of  1839.  At  this  time 
the  congregation  had  become  .very  small, 
and  the  people  were  greatly  disheartened ; 
they  however  called  as  pastor,  the  Rev.  I.  S. 
Demund,  then  pastor  of  a  church  in  New 
Jersey,  which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed 
in  July,  1839, — he  is  still  pastor.  The  la- 
bors of  Mr.  Demund  in  this  church  have 
been  much  blessed ;  the  congregation  has 
been  gradually  increasing  ;  many  have  been 
added  to  the  church,  which  now  enrols  one 
hundred  and  eighty-five  members. 

BROOME  STREET  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

When  the  division  stated  above  took 
place,  a  site  was  selected  for  a  church  edifice 
on  Broome  street,  corner  of  Greene  street, 
and  preparations  made  to  build.  Before  the 
house  of  worship  was  finished,  it  was  thought 
expedient  to  organize  the  church,  which  was 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       43 

accomplished  on  the  second  Wednesday  in 
December,  1823.  The  meeting-house  was 
finished,  and  opened  in  the  beginning  of  the 
next  year,  and  in  April,  1824,  the  Rev. 
Robert  McLean  was  called  as  pastor.  Mr. 
McLean  remained  but  two  years,  when  he 
resigned  his  charge,  and  was  succeeded  in 
April,  1826,  by  the  Rev.  Jacob  Brodhead. 
The  ministry  of  Dr.  Brodhead  continued 
over  eleven  years.  He  resigned  in  October, 
1837  ;  and  was  succeeded,  in  December 
following,  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  A.  Van 
Vranken.  Dr.  Van  Vranken  held  the  pas- 
toral office  for  four  years,  being  dismissed  in 
October,  1841,  having  been-  elected  Professor 
of  Theology  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  The  present 
pastor  of  the  church,  Rev.  George  H.  Fisher, 
D.D.,  was  called  in  December,  1841.  This 
church  has  been  generally  in  a  flourishing 
condition  since  its  establishment.  The  con- 
gregation is  large,  and  they  report  217  mem- 
bers in  communion. 

ORCHARD  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1826,  the  Rev.  James  H.  Teller, 
a  young  minister  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 


44       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

Church,  commenced  preaching  in  a  school- 
room in  Ludlow  street,  with  a  view  of 
gathering  a  church.  The  enterprise  was 
quite  successful,  and  a  church  of  34  mem- 
bers was  organized,  December  27lh,  1826. 
Arrangements  were  made  to  erect  a  church 
building,  and  a  very  substantial  edifice  was 
erected  on  Orchard  street,  between  Broome 
and  Delancy  streets.  A  very  considerable 
congregation  was  collected  here,  and  for  a 
time  the  affairs  of  the  church  looked  en- 
couraging. But  in  the  summer  of  1829,  the 
health  of  Mr.  Teller  failed,  and  when  he  was 
constrained  to  leave  the  people,  the  Rev. 
James  B.  Hardenbergh  was  obtained  as 
pastor,  in  the  autumn  of  that  year.  The 
church  at  this  time  had  increased  to  150 
members,  and  had  their  house  of  worship 
been  free  of  debt,  a  flourishing  church  and 
congregation  might  have  been  collected.  But 
was  not  so,  and  the  people  became  dis- 
couraged, and  Mr.  Hardenbergh  resigned 
his  charge  in  July,  1830.  Still  for  a  time 
they  struggled  onward.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Jane- 
way  very  generously  gave  the  church  one 
year's  service,  and  they  employed  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Labagh  for  six  months  more.  But  the 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       45 

congregation  could  not  sustain  themselves. 
The  house  of  worship  was  sold  under  fore- 
closure of  mortgage,  and  the  church,  then 
consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  mem- 
bers, scattered  into  other  churches. 

COLORED  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

About  the  year  1826,  a  church  of  a  few 
members  of  colored  people  was  organized 
by  the  Classis  of  New  York,  and  Mr.  Mark 
Jordan,  a  colored  man,  was  licensed  as  their 
preacher.  Their  meetings  were  held  in  a 
school-room  in  Duane  street,  near  Hudson 
street,  and  for  a  short  time  the  prospect  was 
encouraging  ;  arrangements  were  made  for 
building  a  house  of  worship,  and  a  founda- 
tion was  laid  in  Wooster  street,  near  Canal 
street.  But  the  thing  did  not  succeed.  Af- 
ter about  two  years  the  license  of  Mr.  Jordan 
was  withdrawn,  and  the  church  became  ex- 
tinct. 

VANDEWATER  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  spring  of  1829,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Vandewater  street  ceased  opera- 
tions ;  during  that  year  the  use  of  that  house 
5 


46       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

of  worship  was  procured ;  a  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  of  a  few  members  was  orga- 
nized, and  the  Rev.  Richard  Varick  Dey 
became  pastor.  His  ministry,  however,  was 
terminated  within  a  year,  and  the  church 
was  disbanded. 

MANHATTAN  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

This  church  owes  its  origin  to  efforts  put 
forth  by  the  Young  Men's  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  Dutch  Church  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  city,  near  the  Dry  Dock. 
On  Third  street,  near  Avenue  D,  there 
stands  a  house  of  worship,  a  frame  building 
with  a  brick  front,  now  occupied  by  the 
"  Asbury  African  Methodist  Church."  This 
house  was  built  about  the  year  1826,  by  a 
society  of  Congregationalists,  having  the 
Rev.  John  Dick  as  their  minister.  But  this 
society  very  soon  came  to  an  end,  and  the 
building  being  sold  for  its  debts,  came  at 
length  into  the  possession  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  Knouse,  and,  in  1833,  it  was  pur- 
chased by  the  Collegiate  Dutch  Church. 
Here  a  church  was  organized  in  the  year 
1833,  consisting  of  eight  males  and  thirteen 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.       47 

females.  For  several  years  it  was  known 
as  "  The  Young  Men's  Mission  Church," 
though  now  as  "  The  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  of  Manhattan."  The  Rev.  Richard 
D.  VanKleek  was  the  first  minister,  but  he 
officiated  only  about  six  months.  Rev. 
Aaron  A.  Marcellus  succeeded  him,  and  re- 
mained a  year  and  a  half.  On  May  1, 
1836,  the  Rev.  Frederick  F.  Cornell  became 
stated  pastor  of  this  church,  and  continues  to 
the  present  time.  The  circumstances  of 
this  church  and  congregation  have  greatly 
improved.  A  new  and  substantial  brick 
edifice  was  erected  and  opened  in  1843,  at 
a  cost  of  about  $7,000.  It  is  situated  on 
Avenue  B,  corner  of  Fifth  street,  and  here  a 
very  considerable  congregation  is  assembled 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath.  One  hundred 
and  seventy-three  members  are  enrolled  in 
communion. 

GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  MISSION  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  collected  by  the  labors 
of  the  Rev.  John  Rudy,  a  native  of  Germany, 
who  commenced  his  ministry  among  the 
German  population  in  New  York  in  the 


48       REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

autumn  of  1835.  He  commenced  preach- 
ing in  the  German  language  in  his  own 
house,  on  the  corner  of  Sixth  street  and 
Avenue  D,  and  continued  his  meeting  there 
until  the  following  spring,  when  he  removed 
his  congregation  to  a  schoolroom  on  Allen 
street.  Here  a  church  was  organized  by  the 
Classis  of  New  York,  and  some  time  after, 
the  congregation  having  become  considera- 
bly enlarged,  a  small  house  of  worship  was 
procured  standing  near  the  corner  of  Hous- 
ton and  Forsyth  streets.  The  labors  of  Mr. 
Rudy  were  very  successful,  a  large  congre- 
gation was  gathered  under  his  ministry,  and 
when  he  was  removed  by  death,  on  February 
9,  1842,  no  less  than  three  hundred  members 
had  been  gathered  into  the  church  by  his  in- 
strumentality. A  new  and  commodious 
house  of  worship  had  been  built  mainly 
through  his  labors,  and  about  $10,000  col- 
lected towards  its  payment.  It  stands  on 
Houston  street  near  Forsyth. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Rudy,  the  Rev. 
John  C.  Guldin  was  settled  in  this  church,  in 
May,  1842,  and  continues  to  this  time, 
preaching  in  the  German  language  only. 
The  present  number  of  communicants  is 
three  hundred  and  seventy-five. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.  49 

STANTON  STREET  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  gathered  by  the  labors  of 
the  Rev.  John  Lillie.  It  was  organized  with 
77  members,  March  29,  1843,  and  Mr.  Lillie 
installed  pastor  in  May  of  the  same  year. 
Meetings  were  held  for  a  time  in  the  chapel 
of  the  New  York  University,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Concert  Hall  on  Broadway,  and 
thence  to  a  schoolroom  in  Allen  street,  near 
Broome  street.  A  church  edifice  is  now  in 
progress  of  erection  on  Stanton  street,  corner 
of  Forsyth. 

"  TRUE  REFORMED  PROTESTANT  DUTCH 
CHURCH." 

Such  is  the  style  of  the  Dutch  Church  in 
King  street.  It  appears  that,  in  1823,  a  dif- 
ficulty arose  in  the  Dutch  Church,  and 
several  ministers  and  churches,  principally 
in  the  eastern  part  of  New  Jersey,  separated 
from  the  body,  charging  those  they  left  with 
a  departure  from  the  standards  of  doctrine 
in  the  Dutch  Church.  The  breach  has  never 
been  healed,  and  to  this  day  they  have  no 
fellowship  with  the  main  body.  A  church 

of  this  description  was  organized  in  this  .city 
5* 


50        REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH. 

on  September  1,  1823,  consisting  of  forty- 
five  members,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Rev. 
Cornelius  T.  Demarest  was  installed  its  pas- 
tor. In  the  course  of  the  following  year  a 
good  house  of  worship  was  erected  on  King 
street,  and  here  a  devout  and  serious  congre- 
gation continue  to  assemble.  Mr.  Demarest 
resigned  his  charge  in  October,  1839,  and 
was  succeeded  in  December  following  by 
the  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Wes- 
tervelt.  The  present  number  of  members  in 
the  church  is  about  one  hundred  and  seventy. 


REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH.  51 


DATES  OF  THE  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCHES 
IN  NEW  YORK,  WITH  THE  NUMBER  OF 
COMMUNICANTS  IN  JUNE,  1845. 

Date.  Com. 

Collegiate  Church, 1626          1376 

Harlem  Church, 1686  126 

German  Reformed, 1758  135 

Greenwich  Church, 1803  525 

Bloomingdale  Church, 1 805  82 

Franklin  Street  Church,  1807  300 

South  Church,  Murray  Street, 1813  261 

Market  Street  Church, 1819  444 

Houston  Street  Church, 1823  185 

True  Reformed  Dutch  Church, 1823  170 

Broome  Street  Church, 1823  217 

Manhattan   Church, 1833  173 

Twenty-first  Street  Church 1S36  67 

German  Mission  Church, 1836  375 

Church  on   Washington  Square, 1837  243 

Stanton  Street  Church, 1843  94 

4773 
CHURCHES  WHICH  HAVE  BECOME  EXTINCT. 

Orchard  Street  Church, 1826 

Colored  Reformed    Dutch    Church 1826 

Vande water  Street  Church 1829 


•«•*< 


LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 
1063. 


SOME  of  the  early  settlers  in  New  York 
City  were  German  and  Dutch  Lutherans, 
and  they  had  an  old  church  edifice  near  the 
"  Fort,"  at  the  Battery,  in  very  early  days, 
though  we  have  but  a  few  fragments  of 
their  history.  In  the  Dutch  records  of  the 
Secretary  of  State,  it  is  stated  that  a  Church 
of  the  Augsburg  confession  was  established 
in  New  York,  and  also  a  Lutheran  Church, 
in  the  year  1663,  but  we  have  no  further  in- 
formation on  the  subject.  In  the  same  re- 
cords it  is  stated  that  the  Rev.  Jacob  Fabri- 
cus,  a  Lutheran  minister  at  New  York,  was 
twice  fined  for  misdemeanors,  once  in  the 
year  1663,  and  again  in  1674.  It  is  not 
known  what  these  misdemeanors  were,  but, 
in  1675,  he  was  forbidden  to  preach  any 
more  in  the  province.  The  Rev.  Barnardus 


LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  OO 

Arentius  succeeded  Mr.  Fabricus,  but  it  is 
not  known  how  long  he  remained,  nor  who 
succeeded  him. 

In  1702,  a  small  stone  building  was 
erected  on  the  corner  of  Rector  street  and 
Broadway,  and  was  continued  as  a  Lutheran 
Church  until  tne  Revolutionary  war,  about 
which  time,  there  being  more  Germans  than 
Hollanders  belonging  to  the  congregation, 
one-half  of  the  services  were  performed  in 
German,  and  one  half  in  Low  Dutch.  The 
names  of  the  several  ministers  who  offi- 
ciated cannot  now  be  ascertained.  At  the 
great  fire  in  New  York,  in  Sept.,  1776,  this 
Church  edifice  was  burnt,  and  not  rebuilt  by 
the  Lutherans.  The  ground  remained  un- 
occupied until  1805,  when  it  was  sold  to  the 
Episcopalians,  and  "  Grace  Church"  erected 
on  the  spot. 

Some  years  previous  to  the  burning  of  the 
old  church,  in  the  year  1751,  another  Lu- 
theran Congregation  was  formed,  and  a 
small  building  erected  in  the  northerly  ter- 
mination of  Cliff  Street,  then  called  "  Skin- 
ner Street,"  not  far  from  the  place  now  oc- 
cupied by  Mr.  Hull,  as  a  soap  manufactory. 
Here  they  remained  six  years,  and  then,  in 


54  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

1767,  put  up  a  very  substantial  stone  build- 
ing, on  the  corner  of  Frankfort  and  Wil- 
liam street,  known  as  the  "  Swamp  Church." 
This  building  is  still  standing,  the  oldest 
church  edifice  in  the  city,  and  is  now  occu- 
pied by  the  colored  Presbyterians.  After 
the  peace,  when  order  was  'restored  to  the 
city,  in  1784,  the  remnant  of  the  old  church 
in  Rector  street  united  themselves  and 
their  property  with  the  "  Swamp  Church," 
and  the  Rev.  John  Christopher  Kunze,  D.D., 
became  the  stated  pastor.  Dr.  Kunze  con- 
tinued his  labors  usefully  and  acceptably, 
preaching  in  the  German  language  only, 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  July  24th, 
1807,  at  the  age  of  63,  having  sustained  the 
pastoral  office  in  New  York,  for  twenty 
three  years.  The  Rev.  F.  W.  Geissenhai- 
ner,  D.D.,  succeeded  Dr.  Kunze,  officiating  in 
the  German  language  entirely,  until  1814. 
At  this  time  some  dispute  arose  respecting 
the  introduction  of  the  English  language, 
and  Dr.  Geissenhainer  removed  to  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  Rev.  F.  C.  Schaeffer  was  call- 
ed to  officiate  in  German  in  the  morning, 
and  in  English  in  the  afternoon  and  even- 
ing, and  this  arrangement  continued  for 


LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  55 

about  seven  years,  when  he  left  the  old 
church,  and  formed  an  independent  English 
congregation  in  Walker  street.  When  this 
took  place  Dr.  Geissenhainer  was  recalled, 
and  continued  to  officiate  in  German  in  the 
"  Swamp  Church,"  as  before,  until  the  build- 
ing was  sold  to  the  colored  Presbyterians, 
and  after  that  he  preached  in  Walker  street 
until  his  death,  in  1838. 

Mr.  Schaeffer,  as  stated  above,  removed 
to  St.  Matthew's  Church  in  Walker  street, 
near  Broadway,  in  1821,  preaching  in  Eng- 
lish only ;  but  in  a  few  years  the  congrega- 
tion became  so  involved  in  debt  that  they 
sold  the  church  at  auction,  in  1826,  and  re- 
moved to  St.  James'  Church  in  Orange 
street,  near  Hester  street,  where  Mr. 
Schaeffer  shortly  after  died.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Strobel,  and  he  in 
the  autumn  of  1841,  by  the  Rev.  Charles  Mar- 
tin, the  present  minister.  Soon  after  Mr. 
Martin  was  settled,  the  congregation  aban- 
doned the  old  place  of  worship,  which  was 
taken  down,  and  one  of  the  public  school- 
houses  erected  on  the  spot.  The  Church 
retired  to  the  "  Coliseum  Hall,"  on  Broad- 
way, and  immediately  commenced  the  erec- 


56  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

tion  of  a  substantial  brick  edifice,  measuring 
75  feet  by  60,  at  a  cost  of  $11,000.  It  stands 
on  Mulberry  street,  between  Grand  and 
Broome  streets.  It  is  nearly  completed. 
The  style  of  the  Church  is  the  "  English 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  St.  James." 
When  St.  Matthew's  Church  was  sold 
in  1826,  as  before  stated,  it  was  purchased 
by  an  individual,  who  sold  it  in  a  few  days 
after  to  the  German  congregation  of  the 
"  Swamp  Church."  Having  thus  two  houses 
of  worship,  an  attempt  was  made  to  form  an 
English  Lutheran  congregation  in  St.  Mat- 
thew's Church,  while  preaching  in  the  Ger- 
man language  was  continued  in  the  Swamp 
Church ;  and,  to  effect  this,  the  Rev.  F.  W. 
Geissenhainer,  Jr.,  was  called  to  officiate  in  the 
English  language  in  St.  Matthew's  Church 
— his  father  remaining  with  the  German  con- 
gregation in  the  "  Swamp  Church."  But 
the  experiment  did  not  succeed  well,  and 
after  about  four  years  the  Swamp  Church 
was  sold,  as  before  stated,  and  the  German 
congregation  removed  to  St.  Matthew's 
Church, — the  service  being  conducted  inter- 
changeably in  German  and  English.  This 
arrangement  continued  a  few  years,  when, 


LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  57 

the  English  congregation  dwindling  away, 
the  service  in  German  was  introduced  entire. 
On  the  death  of  Dr.  Geissenhainer,  in  1838, 
the  Rev.  C.  F.  E.  Stohlman  was  elected  as 
his  successor,  to  officiate  in  the  German  lan- 
guage, and  has  continued  to  labor  with  in- 
creasing success  to  the  present  day. 

In  1842,  Mr.  Geissenhainer,  Jr.,  resigned 
his  charge  in  St.  Matthew's  Church,  and 
commenced  a  new  enterprise  in  the  Sixth 
Avenue.  A  house  of  worship  was  erected  at 
the  corner  of  Fifteenth  street,  and  a  congre- 
gation gathered  there;  <?  It  is  styled  "  The 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church." 

GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

From  a  very  early  date  there  were  two 
adverse  parties  in  the  German  Reformed 
Church,. — one  a  Lutheran  party,  and  the 
other  a  Calvinistic  party ;  the  former  stand- 
ing alone,  and  the  latter  standing  in  con- 
nection with  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church. 
We  style  them  the  Lutheran  and  Calvinistic 
parties  merely  for  distinction's  sake,  though 
they  both  claim  to  be  the  "  German  Reformed 
Church."  The  sketch  of  this  last  party  is 
6 


58  LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 

given  under  the  head  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church.*  The  controversy  between  the 
parties  became  more  severe  from  about  the 
year  1805,  and  at  length,  in  1834,  the 
Lutherans  obtained  possession  of  the  house 
of  worship  in  Forsyth  street,  and  the  Rev. 
Lewis  Smith,  who  was  a  Lutheran  by  pro- 
fession, was  their  minister.  He  officiated 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1837. 
The  legal  question  respecting  the  house  was 
decided  by  the  Vice  Chancellor  in  favor  of 
the  Lutherans,  and,  in  1838,  the  Rev. 
Edward  Meyer  became  pastor,  and  con- 
tinued to  officiate  about  three  years,  when  he 
resigned  his  charge,  and  was  succeeded,  in 
November,  1842,  by  the  Rev.  Lewis  Miller. 
In  the  spring  of  1844,  the  Chancellor  reversed 
the  decision  before  made,  and  the  Lutherans 
gave  up  the  house  of  worship,  and  retired  to 
Columbia  Hall  on  Grand  street.  In  Jan., 
1846,  by  a  decision  of  the  Court  of  Errors, 
this  church  again  took  possession  of  the 
house  of  worship  in  Forsyth  street,  where 
they  remain.  There  are  about  two  hundred 
members  in  communion.  Mr.  Miller  is  still 
their  minister,  and  is  himself  in  connection 
*  See  page  24. 


LUTHERAN  CHURCH.  59 

with  the  Lutheran  Synod.     He  officiates  in 
the  German  language  only. 

"  OLD  LUTHERAN  CHUKCH." 

Such  is  the  designation  of  a  church 
gathered  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  by 
the  labors  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brohm,  about  the 
year  1842.  They  met  at  first  in  a  small 
room  on  Stanton  street,  corner  of  Essex 
street,  where  they  remained  about  two 
years.  They  then  removed  to  a  hall  on 
Columbia  street,  near  Houston  street,  where 
they  still  remain.  The  congregation  is  small. 
Mr.  Brohm  is  still  their  minister.  The  ser- 
vices are  conducted  in  the  German  lan- 
guage. 

LUTHERAN  CHURCHES  IN  THE  CITY. 

St.  Matthew's  Church 1751,.  .Walker  street. 

St.  James's  Church, 1821,.  .Mulberry  street. 

German  Reformed  Lutheran 

Church, 1834, . .  Forsyth  street. 

Evangelical  Lutheran 

Church, 1842,.  .6th  Avenue. 

Old  Lutheran  Church, 1842,.  .Columbia  street. 

First  Lutheran  Church 1663, — became  extinct  1784- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 
1664. 


THE  province  of  New  York  was  surrender- 
ed to  the  British,  by  Governor  Stuyves- 
sant,  in  1664.  Up  to  this  time  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  had  enjoyed  the  precedency 
of  any  others.  But  when  the  British  obtain- 
ed the  government,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the 
Episcopal,  or,  as  it  was  then  more  generally 
called,  the  "  English  Church,"  obtained  the 
ascendency.  From  that  time  the  Chapel  in 
the  Fort,  near  the  Battery,  was  called  "  The 
King's  Chapel,"  and  here  the  Episcopal  ser- 
vice was  held.  The  building  known  as 
"  Trinity  Church,"  was  erected  in  the  year 
1696,  and  divine  service  was  first  performed 
there,  February  6th,  1697.  It  was  a  small 
square  building,  and  as  Smith,  in  his  History 
of  New  york,  says,  "  very  pleasantly  situated 
on  the  banks  of  Hudson's  river."  The  truth 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  61 

is,  it  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  present  ele- 
gant building,  at  the  head  of  Wall  street, 
but  in  all  probability,  there  were  no  buildings 
at  that  time  between  that  and  the  North 
river.  In  1735,  the  church  edifice  was  en- 
larged, and  a  farther  enlargement  took  place 
two  years  after,  until  it  was  140  feet  in  length, 
and  about  70  feet  in  breadth.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1776,  a  great  fire  occurred  in  New  York, 
which  is  said  to  have  destroyed  four  hundred 
and  ninety-three  buildings ;  and  among  these 
was  Trinity  Church.  No  attempt  was  made 
to  rebuild,  until  after  the  close  of  the  war  of 
the  Revolution  ;  but  in  1788,  a  new  building 
was  erected,  104  feet  long,  and  72  feet  wide, 
on  the  site  of  the  former  building.  In  the 
year  1839,  on  commencing  some  repairs  of 
the  house,  it  was  found  necessary  to  rebuild, 
and  arrangements  were  made  accordingly. 
The  corner-stone  of  the  new  and  splendid 
edifice,  now  built,  was  laid  June  3d,  1841, 
and  the  house  was  opened  for  worship,  May 
21st,  1846. 

ST.  PAUL'S  CHAPEL. 

In  all  the  ancient  churches  in  New  York 
city,  the  plan  of  a  collegiate  charge  seems  to 


62  EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

have  obtained.  We  shall  not  undertake,  in 
this  place,  to  discuss  the  wisdom  or  the  ex- 
pediency of  the  arrangement.  It  may  suf- 
fice to  say,  that  the  plan  has  been  abandoned 
altogether  by  the  Presbyterians,  and  partial- 
ly by  the  other  denominations.  The  an- 
cient Episcopal  Church,  in  New  York  city, 
was  established  on  this  plan ;  Trinity  Church 
was  considered  the  parish  church,  and  had 
as  a  collegiate  charge,  St.  George's,  St. 
Paul's,  and  St.  John's,  which  were  called 
"  Chapels."  St.  George's  is  now  a  distinct 
charge,  but  the  other  two  are  still  collegiate. 
St.  Paul's  Chapel  near  the  Park,  between 
Fulton  and  Vesey  streets,  was  erected,  and 
first  opened  for  worship,  October  30th,  1766. 
It  is  a  fine  structure,  of  a  reddish  grey  stone, 
113  feet  long,  and  73  feet  wide.  Continuing 
a  collegiate  charge  with  Trinity  Church,  its 
ecclesiastical  affairs  are  consequently  merged 
in  that 

ST.  JOHN'S  CHAPEL. 

This  is  an  elegant  stone  structure,  111  feet 
long,  and  73  feet  wide,  situated  on  Varick 
street,  fronting  Hudson's  square,  more  re- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  63 

cently  known  as  "  St.  John's  Park."  It  was 
built  in  1807,  at  the  cost  of  more  than  $200,- 
000.  This,  like  St.  Paul's,  continues  as  a 
chapel  of  Trinity  Church,  and  therefore  needs 
no  separate  ecclesiastical  notice. 

The  following  list  exhibits  the  names  of 
the  regular  rectors  of  Trinity  Church,  from  its 
commencement  to  this  time  ;  with  the  dates 
of  their  accession,  and  dismission  or  death, 
viz. : 

Rev.  William  Vesey,  from  1696,  to 1746. 

Rev.  Henry  Barclay,  "  1746,"  1764. 

Rev.  Sam'l  Auchimity,  "  1764,"   1777. 

Rev.  Charles  Inglis,  "  1777,"   1783. 

Rev.  Samuel  Provoost,  "  1783,"   1800. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Moore,  "  1800,"   1816. 

Rev.  Jno.  Henry  Hobart,  "  1816,  «'  1830. 

Rev.  Wm.  Berrian,  "  1830,  to  this  time. 

ST.  GEORGE'S  CHURCH. 

As  early  as  1748,  the  increasing  popula- 
tion of  the  city  rendered  it  expedient  to  erect 
a  church  edifice,  on  what  was  then  called 
"  Chapel  hill,"  from  that  circumstance,  and 
the  street  "  Chapel  street,"  now  Beekman 
street,  at  the  corner  of  Cliff  street,  then 
called  "Van  Cliff's  street."  This  was  called 
"  St.  George's  Chapel,"  and  was  a  part  of 


64  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

the  collegiate  charge  of  Trinity  Church.  The 
edifice  was  completed,  and  opened  for  wor- 
ship, July  1st,  1752.  It  was  a  noble  struc- 
ture for  the  day  in  which  it  was  built,  being 
104  feet  long,  and  72  feet  wide,  with  a  tall 
pointed  spire,  and  was  considered  a  great 
ornament  to  that  part  of  the  city.  Thus  it 
stood  for  more  than  sixty  years,  when,  in 

1814,  it  was  burnt  out,  leaving  the  walls  of 
stone  standing.     It  was  rebuilt  in  its  present 
form,  with  the  same  walls,  in  the  following 
year,   being  again   opened,  November  7th, 

1815.  It  was  separated  from  Trinity  Church, 
and  became  a  distinct  charge,  in  the  autumn 
of  the  year  1811.    The  Rev.  John  Brady  of- 
ficiated in  this  church  for  a  little  more  than 
a  year  after  the  separation  from  Trinity,  and 
in  1813,  the  Rev.  John  Kewley,  D.D.,  was 
duly  installed  as  rector,  and  the  Rev.   Mr. 
Brady  as  assistant.     But  their  ministry  was 
of  short  duration,  as  they  both  resigned  the 
charge  in  the  year  1816.     In  the  same  year 
the  Rev.  James  Milnor  became  rector  of  the 
church,  and  continued  to  labor,  faithfully  and 
with  increasing  usefulness,  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  with  scarce  a  moment's 
warning,  on  April  8th,  1845.     The  ministry 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

of  Dr.  Milnor  was  greatly  blessed  to  this 
church ;  and  his  memory  will  long  be  che- 
rished, not  only  by  the  people  of  his  pecu- 
liar charge,  but  by  the  ministers  and  people 
of  all  the  denominations  around  him. 

The  present  Rector  of  the  Church,  the 
Rev.  Stephen  H.  Tyng,  D.D.,  was  instituted 
in  the  summer  of  1845.  There  are  now 
about  450  members  in  communion. 

In  March,  1846,  Peter  G.  Stuyvesant, 
Esq.,  generously  gave  to  St.  George's 
Church  lots  of  ground  on  Rutherford  Place 
and  Sixteenth  street,  sufficient  for  a  new 
Church  and  Rectory ;  and  the  Vestry,  after 
accepting  the  gift,  resolved  to  proceed  im- 
mediately to  commence  the  erection  of  a 
church  edifice,  with  a  view  to  colonize. 

CHRIST'S  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  founded  in  the  year 
1794,  and  was  the  second  Episcopal  Church 
organized  in  this  city,  Trinity  Church,  with 
its  chapels,  St.  George's  and  St.  Paul's,  only 
preceding  it.  An  edifice  was  erected  of 
stone,  sixty  feet  wide,  and  eighty  deep, 
standing  on  Ann  street,  a  few  doors  east  of 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Nassau  street,  where  a  considerable  congre- 
gation assembled,  and  in  about  ten  years 
they  -numbered  three  hundred  in  com- 
munion. The  Rev.  Joseph  Pillmore,  D.D., 
was  Rector  of  the  church  from  its  com- 
mencement to  the  year  1805,  when  he  re- 
signed the  charge  and  removed  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Lyell.  For  eighteen  years  the 
church  remained  in  Ann  street,  with  a  usual 
measure  of  success,  but  in  March,  1823,  they 
removed  to  a  new  edifice  erected  in  Anthony 
street,  a  little  west  of  Broadway.  Here  they 
have  remained.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Lyell  is  still 
the  Rector,  now  in  the  41st  year  of  his  minis- 
try, in  this  church,  and  the  oldest  pastor  in  the 
city,  but  has  hadin  the  time  several  assistants. 
This  church  has  been  generally  prosperous, 
and  has  been  favored  with  some  seasons  of 
special  religious  interest.  In  the  years  1829, 
1830,  and  1831,  many  were  hopefully  con- 
verted. Seventy  persons  were  added  to  the 
communion  in  1829,  and  sixty  were  added 
in  1831. 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  67 

"  CHRIST'S  CHURCH  IN  ANN  STREET." 

As  stated  above,  Christ's  Church,  under 
the  pastoral  charge  of  Dr.  Lyell,  left  Ann 
street  in  March,  1823,  and  occupied  the  new 
church  edifice  in  Anthony  street.  A  part 
of  the  people,  however,  remained  behind, 
occupying  the  old  house  of  worship,  and 
shortly  after  they  were  organized  as  a  church, 
and  the  Rev.  John  Sellon,  who  purchased 
the  church  edifice,  was  instituted  as  Rector. 
A  considerable  congregation  assembled  here, 
and  120  members  were  enrolled  in  com- 
munion. But  at  about  the  close  of  1825, 
Mr.  Sellon  resigned  the  charge,  and  the 
church  was  soon  scattered.  The  house  was 
afterwards  sold  to  the  Roman  Catholics,  and 
after  being  occupied  by  them  for  a  few 
years,  was  consumed  by  fire, 

ST.  MARK'S  CHURCH. 

Petrus  Stuyvessant  was  the  Dutch  Gov- 
ernor of  New  York  in  1664,  when  the  gov- 
ernment was  resigned  to  the  English.  He 
then  retired  to  his  country  residence,  some 
three  miles  from  what  was  then  the  city,  then 
called  "  The  Bouwerie  "  (the  Dutch  name 


68  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

for  farm),  where  he  passed  the  remnant  of 
his  days,  and  where  he  died  in  peace,  in  the 
month  of  August,  1682,  at  the  age  of  80 
years.  Governor  Stuyvessant  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  for 
some  time  a  ruling  elder  of  the  church  in 
the  city  proper,  and  he  appropriated  a  spot 
of  ground  on  his  farm,  and  erected  a  chapel, 
where,  for  several  years,  divine  worship  was 
celebrated  according  to  the  rites  of  that 
church.  The  Rev.  Henry  Selyns,  who  had 
been  designated  by  the  classis  of  A.msterdam 
for  "  Brenkelen?  now  Brooklyn,  officiated 
there  under  the  patronage  of  Governor  Stuy- 
vessant on  the  afternoon  of  each  Sabbath 
for  some  time;  and  when  he  returned  to 
Holland,  it  seems  probable  that  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Collegiate  Church  officiated  occa- 
sionally in  this  chapel,  and  that  the  members 
were  all  joined  to  the  Collegiate  Church. 
At  the  decease  of  the  Governor,  his  body 
was  deposited  in  a  vault  under  the  chapel,* 

*  In  the  same  vault,  near  the  remains  of  Gov.  Stuyves- 
sant, lie  the  remains  of  Col.  Henry  Sloughter,  an  English 
Governor,  who  died  in  1691,  and  in  the  vault  of  Mr.  Min- 
thorne,  not  far  distant,  lies  the  body  of  Governor  Daniel 
D.  Tompkins.  Thus  the  heads  of  three  dynasties  are  re- 
posing in  peace  together. 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  69 

and  soon  after  this,  public  worship  there 
seems  to  have  been  discontinued,  for  Mrs. 
Stuyvessant,  who  outlived  her  husband 
about  five  years,  expressed  a  desire  in  her 
will,  that  the  Dutch  Collegiate  Church  should 
take  charge  of  the  chapel,  and  revive  wor- 
ship here.  But  it  was  not  done.  The 
building  fell  into  decay,  and  for  about  one 
hundred  years  nothing  farther  was  attempted 
on  that  ground.  In  the  year  1793,  the  late 
Petrus  Stuyvessant,  Esq.,  a  great-grandson 
of  the  Governor,  and  who  inherited  a  large 
portion  of  his  property,  generously  offered 
to  the  Vestry  of  Trinity  Church  the  site  of 
the  old  chapel,  which  was  then  a  valuable 
lot  of  ground,  190  feet  long  and  150  wide, 
with  £800,  in  money,  to  induce  them  to  erect 
an  Episcopal  Church  on  that  spot.  In  a 
few  years  after,  this  was  accomplished.  The 
corner-stone  was  laid  April  25,1795,  and  the 
edifice  was^  completed  and  opened  for  wor- 
ship, under  the  name  of  "  St.  Mark's  Church," 
May  9,  1799.  The  steeple  was  not  built 
until  1826. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  after  completing 
the  church  building,  the  parish  was  organ- 
ized, and  in  Feb.,  1800,  the  Rev.  John  Cal- 
7 


70  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

lahan,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  who  had  preach- 
ed at  the  Church  for  a  few  Sabbaths  while 
here  on  a  visit,  was  called  as  Rector.      Mr. 
Callahan  accepted  the   call,  and  being    a 
young  man  of  great  promise,  very  sanguine 
hopes   were  entertained   of  his  usefulness. 
But  in  about  two  months  after  his  election 
as  Rector,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  friends  in 
South  Carolina,  he  was  thrown  from  a  car- 
riage, and  expired  the  same  day,  at  the  age 
of  24  years.     Repeated  efforts  were  made 
to  fill  the  vacancy  created  by  this  sad  be- 
reavement, but  without  success.     The  Rev. 
John  Henry   Hobart,  afterward  Bishop   of 
New    York,     Rev.   Philander   Chase,  now 
Bishop   of  Illinois,  Rev.    Cave  Jones,  and 
Rev.  Theodore  Dehon,  afterwards  Bishop  of 
South  Carolina,  were  successively  invited  to 
take    the    pastoral    charge    of  St.    Mark's 
Church,  but  declined.     These  things  took 
place  between  Aug.,  1800,  and  Nov.,  1801, 
at  which  time  a  unanimous  call  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Rev.  William  Harris,  which  he 
accepted,  and  for  fifteen  years  officiated  at 
St.  Mark's  with  credit  to  himself,  and  use- 
fulness to  the  people.     In  the  year  1811,  Dr. 
Harris  was  elected  President  of  Columbia 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  71 

College,  in  this  city,  but  not  being  required 
to  take  the  sole  superintendence,  he  conti- 
nued his  ministry  as  before  ;  but  toward  the 
close  of  the  year  1816,  the  increasing  labors 
of  the  College  led  him  to  resign  his  rector- 
ship. The  vacancy  thus  created  in  St. 
Mark's  Church  was  immediately  supplied 
by  the  election  of  the  Rev.  William  Creigh- 
ton,  who  was  then  an  assistant  at  Grace 
Church  in  this  city.  This  took  place  in 
Dec.,  1816.  For  nearly  twenty  years  Dr. 
Creighton  discharged  the  various  duties  of 
the  stated  ministry  in  this  church,  illustrating 
and  enforcing  his  public  instructions  by  a 
most  irreproachable  and  consistent  life  and 
example.  On  May  5th,  1836,  he  resigned  his 
charge,  and  in  December  following,  the  Rev. 
Henry  Anthon,  D.D.,  who  was  then  an  as- 
sistant minister  of  Trinity  Church,  was 
unanimously  called  to  the  rectorship,  and  is 
the  present  minister. 

FRENCH  CHURCH,  Du  ST.  ESPRIT. 

The  edict  of  Nantz,  given  by  Henry  IV, 
of  France  in  the  year  1598,  having  been  re- 
voked by  Louis  XIV.,  on  Oct.  22d,   1685, 
the  Huguenots  were  obliged  to  leave  their 
.        •  f 


72  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

country,  and  fled  to  Holland,  Switzerland, 
England,  and  America.*  Large  numbers  of 
them  came  to  New  York  about  that  time, 
and  soon  commenced  meeting  for  worship 
in  private  houses.  But  their  numbers  in- 
creasing very  fast,  they  organized  them- 
selves, and  began  to  collect  funds  to  build 
a  house  of  worship.  This  was  accomplish- 
ed in  1704.  An  edifice  was  erected,  mea- 
suring 50  feet  by  77,  fronting  on  Pine  street, 
opposite  the  Custom  House,  the  burial 
ground  in  the  rear  running  through  to  Cedar 
street. 

The  congregation  continued  to  assemble 
on  this  spot  for  130  years.  In  1834,  they 
sold  their  property  on  Pine  street,  and  erect- 
ed an  elegant  building  of  white  marble,  on 
Franklin  street,  corner  of  Church  street,  at  a 
cost  of  $60,000. 

Fourteen  ministers  have  officiated  in  this 
Church  since  its  establishment,  most  of  them, 
however,  for  short  terms  of  time.  The  pre- 

*  The  reformed  Christians  of  German  Switzerland  de- 
clared themselves  Eidgercoszen,  or  bound  by  oath  to  fol- 
low the  Bible.  They  were  at  first  called  in  France 
Eigenats,  and  afterwards  Huguenots.  The  term  Huguenot 
therefore  signifies  a  decided  and  faithful  follower  of  the 
Bible. — DR.  MALAN. 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


73 


sent  pastor  of  this  church  is  the  Rev.  An- 
toine  Verren,  who  commenced  his  labors  in 
the  year  1828,  succeeding  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pen- 
neveyre.  The  present  number  of  commu- 
nicants is  about  100.  The  service  is  con- 
ducted in  the  French  language.  This 
Church  was  organized  according  to  the  doc- 
trine and  discipline  of  the  Reformed 
Churches  of  France  and  Geneva,  and  so 
continued  until  the  year  1804,  when  it  was 
agreed  by  the  pastor  and  people  to  adopt  the 
forms  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  This  was 
done,  and  since  that  time  they  have  been  in 
connection  with  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
city. 

ST.  STEPHEN'S  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  March  12, 1805, 
and  in  the  same  year  their  present  house  of 
worship  was  built,  on  the  corner  of  Broome 
and  Chrystie  streets.  The  history  of  this 
church  has  not  been  marked  by  any  great 
revolution,  or  striking  incidents,  but  it  has 
risen  gradually,  from  about  60  communicants 
when  organized,  to  350  at  the  present  time. 
This  church  has  had  seven  pastors,  viz.,  Rev. 

George  Strebeck,  elected  March,  1805,  re» 

7* 


74  EPISCOPAL  CHITRCH. 

signed  May,  1899 :  Rev.  Richard  C.  Moore, 
elected  May  31,  1809,  elected  Bishop  of 
Virginia,  May,  1814  :  Rev.  James  Henry 
Feltus,  elected  June  10,  1814,  died  August 
24,  1828  :  Rev.  Henry  Anthon,  elected 
January,  1829,  resigned  January  17,  1831  : 
Rev.  Francis  L.  Hawks,  elected  January  29, 
1831,  resigned  December,  1831  :  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Jackson,  elected  May  9,  1832,  resigned 
March  25,  1837:  Rev.  Joseph  H.  Price, 
elected  May,  1837,  and  is  the  present  minis- 
ter. 

ST.    MICHAEL'S,  ST.   JAMES'S,  ST.  MARY'S, 
AND  ST.  ANN'S  CHURCHES. 

It  seems  proper  to  sketch  the  history  of 
these  four  churches  together.  A  few  Epis- 
copal families  were  scattered  in  the  northern 
parts  of  Manhattan  Island,  at  Bloomingdale, 
Manhattanville,  and  around  Fort  Washing- 
ton, and  these,  very  naturally,  sought  for  re- 
ligious privileges  according  to  their  own 
forms.  Accordingly,  in  the  year  1807,  a 
church  was  formed  at  Bloomingdale  called 
"  St.  Michael's  Church,"  and  during  that 
year  a  small  frame  building  was  erected  for 
a  house  of  worship.  In  1809  the  Rev. 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  75 

John  V.  Bartow  officiated  here  as  a  stated 
supply,  and  continued  about  two  years.  The 
communicants  at  the  church  were  a  little 
rising  of  fifty,  and  were  scattered  in  all  that 
region.  In  the  year  1810,  a  church  building 
was  erected  on  Hamilton  square,  a  mile  or 
more  east  of  St.  Michael's  Church,  and  a 
church  organization  was  made  there  under 
the  style  of  "  St.  James'  Church,"  and  in 
1811,  the  Rev.  William  H.  Jephson  became 
its  Rector,  but  remained  only  a  short  time, 
for  in  November,  1811,  St.  Michael's  Church 
and  St.  James's  became  one  charge,  under 
the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  F.  Jarvis. 
St.  James's  Church  was  closed  during  the 
winter,  and  the  people  all  assembled  at  St. 
Michael's,  and  this  was  the  order  of  things 
for  several  years.  Mr.  Jarvis  continued  his 
ministry  here  until  the  year  1818,  when  he 
resigned.  Both  churches  were  still  very 
small,  having  not  over  thirty-five  members  in 
communion  when  united.  For  two  years  suc- 
ceeding, these  churches  had  occasional  sup- 
plies, but  were  in  a  very  low  state.  In  1820, 
the  Rev.  William  Richmond,  then  in  dea- 
con's orders,  officiated  there  as  stated  supply, 
and  in  1822,  was  instituted  Rector  of  the 


76  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

united  churches  of  St.  Michael  and  St. 
James.  In  December  of  the  succeeding  year, 
an  addition  was  made  to  Mr.  Richmond's 
charge,  by  the  organization  of  a  church 
at  Manhattanville,  by  the  name  of  St. 
Mary's.  This  was  one  of  those  little  villages 
in  the  neighborhood  where  a  few  members 
of  St.  Michael's  Church  resided,  and  where 
occasional  preaching  had  been  maintained. 
A  lay  reader  was  appointed  for  a  year  or 
two,  though  Mr.  Richmond  was  Rector,  and 
officiated  there  as  often  as  his  other  engage- 
ments would  allow.  A  small  frame  building 
for  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  in  1826. 
In  1825,  another  church  was  organized  at 
Fort  Washington,  and  called  "  St.  Ann's 
Church."  Divine  service  was  performed  in 
the  "  Hamilton  Schoolhouse,"  and  continued 
for  some  time  by  a  lay  reader.  The  two 
following  years  found  the  little  church  still 
destitute  of  a  pastor,  but  in  September,  1829, 
the  Rev.  Augustus  Fitch  became  a  stated 
supply,  and  remained  two  years.  In  the 
year  1832,  the  Rev.  John  M.  Forbes  supplied, 
and,  in  1833,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Richmond  became 
the  regular  Rector,  adding  this  as  a  fourth 
church  under  his  pastoral  care.  He  had  not, 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  77 

however,  performed  all  the  labor  alone.  In 
1827,  the  Rev.  Edmund  D.  Griffin  assisted 
Mr.  Richmond  in  St.  Michael's  and  St  James' 
Churches,  and  in  1830  and  1831  the  Rev. 
George  L.  Hinton  maintained  one  service  at 
St.  Mary's  Church  each  Sabbath,  preaching 
the  other  part  of  the  day  at  Harlem.  In 
1835  the  enterprise  at  Fort  Washington  was 
abandoned,  and  "  St.  Ann's  Church"  became 
extinct. . 

In  the  year  1837,  Zion  Church  became 
vacant  by  the  resignation  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Breintnall ;  and  Mr.  Richmond  resigned 
the  charge  of  the  three  churches  of  St. 
Michael,  St.  James,  and  St.  Mary,  which 
he  then  held,  and  became  Rector  of  Zion 
Church.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  three 
churches  by  the  Rev.  James  Richmond,  who 
held  the  office  of  Rector  for  four  years.  In 
the  autumn  of  1841,  the  Rev.  John  Doudney 
was  engaged  as  an  assistant  to  Mr.  James 
Richmond  at  St.  James'  Church,  and,  in 
October,  1842,  was  called  as  Rector  there, 
which  office  he  still  sustains.  The  same 
year  Mr.  William  Richmond  took  again  the 
Rectorship  of  St.  Michael's  Church,  in  con- 
nection with  Zion  Church,  and  Mr.  James 


78  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Richmond  was  Rector  of  St.  Mary's  Church 
only ;  but  leaving  it  the  next  year,  Mr. 
William  Richmond  received  the  charge  of 
St.  Mary's  Church  again,  and,  in  the  autumn 
of  1844,  resigning  the  charge  of  Zion  Church, 
he  is  now  Rector  of  the  united  churches  of 
St.  Michael  and  St.  Mary. 

GRACE  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1710,  a  Lutheran  Church  was 
erected  on  the  corner  of  Rector  street  and 
Broadway,  near  Trinity  Church.  This 
building  was  consumed  by  fire  in  Sept., 
1776,  and  the  congregation,  having  already 
built  the  "  Swamp  Church,"  on  Frankfort 
street,  made  no  attempt  to  rebuild  on  this 
spot;  and,  some  time  after  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  sold  the  land  to  the  Epis- 
copalians, who,  in  1808,  erected  there  a  spa- 
cious edifice,  and  in  the  following  year  a 
church  organization  was  made,  under  the 
name  of  "  Grace  Church,"  and  the  Rev. 
Nathaniel  Bowen  was  instituted  rector. 
Dr.  Bowen  continued  his  ministry  here  for 
about  nine  years,  and  was  succeeded,  on 
April  1st,  1818,  by  the  Rev.  James  Mont- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  79 

gomery,  who  officiated  a  little  over  two  years. 
In  January,  1821,  the  Rev.  Jonathan  M. 
Wainwright,  D.D.,  became  Rector  of  Grace 
Church,  and  continued  in  that  office  until 
•1834,  when  he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded 
by  the  present  minister,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
H.  Taylor,  D.D.  In  1844,  the  building  of 
a  new  and  very  elegant  house  of  worship 
was  commenced  at  the  upper  end  of  Broad- 
way, on  the  corner  of  Tenth  street,  and  the 
old  building  was  taken  down.  The  new 
house  was  completed,  and  opened  for  worship 
March  7th,  1846. 

ST.  PHILIP'S  CHURCH. 

The  colored  Episcopalians  of  this  city 
commenced  a  meeting  by  themselves  in  the 
year  1809.  They  assembled  for  worship  in 
a  schoolroom,  which  stood  next  to  the  old 
church,  on  the  corner  of  Frankfort  and 
William  streets,  and  Mr.  McCoombs,  a  white 
man,  officiated  as  a  lay-reader  until  his 
death,  in  1812.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
McCoombs,  the  congregation  removed  to  a 
room  in  Cliff  street,  and  Mr.  Peter  Williams, 
Jr.,  a  colored  man,  was  appointed  lay-reader, 
and  this  arrangement  continued  for  about  five 


80  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

years.  In  1817,  the  congregation  removed 
again  to  a  schoolroom  on  Rose  street,  on  the 
site  of  the  present  Friends'  meeting-house, 
where  they  remained  two  years. 

In  1819,  three  lots  of  ground  were  obtained 
on  a  lease  for  60  years,  and  after  that  to  be 
held  in  fee  simple,  as  a  gift.  The  lots  were  on 
the  westerly  side  of  Centre  street, — then 
"  Collect  street,"  between  Leonard  and  An- 
thony streets.  Here,  aided  by  many  gentle- 
men, the  congregation  were  enabled  to  erect 
a  wooden  building,  at  a  cost  of  about  $5,000, 
and  this  edifice  was  consecrated  by  Bishop 
Hobart,  July  19th,  1819,  and  called  "  St. 
Philip's  Church.7'  In  November  of  the 
following  year,  the  church  was  incorporated 
according  to  the  statute,  and  Mr.  Williams, 
having  been  ordained  a  deacon,  was  ap- 
pointed to  its  charge. 

On  December  24th,  1821,  the  church  edifice 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  rebuilt  of  brick  in 
the  following  year,  at  a  cost  of  $8,000.  In 
1827,  Mr.  Williams  was  advanced  to  the 
order  of  the  priesthood,  and  became  the 
regular  Rector  of  the  church,  which  office  he 
sustained  with  much  credit  to  himself,  and 
usefulness  to  his  people,  until  his  death, 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  81 

which  took  place  very  suddenly,  October 
18th,  1840,  after  having  ministered  to  this 
church  for  28  years. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Evans  succeeded  Mr. 
Williams,  officiating  for  about  two  years ; 
and,  in  1842,  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
Alexander  Frazer,  the  present  minister. 
More  than  300  members  are  on  the  roll  of 
communicants. 

ZION  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1801,  a  society  of  Lutherans 
built  a  small  house  of  worship  on  Mott 
street,  corner  of  Cross  street,  and  here  a  small 
congregation  of  that  denomination  continued 
to  assemble  for  several  years,  till,  in  1810, 
they  were  received  into  communion  with  the 
Episcopal  Church.  There  were  at  that  time 
about  50  members  in  the  church.  In  1811, 
Rev.  Ralph  Williston  became  their  stated 
supply,  and  after  two  years  he  was  instituted 
Rector,  and  continued  to  officiate  until  1815, 
when  the  church  building  was  consumed  by 
fire.  The  church  had  previously  increased 
to  more  than  100  members,  but  they  were 
greatly  scattered  at  this  time,  and  it  was 
8 


82  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

more  than  two  years  before  the  house  of 
worship  was  rebuilt,  as  it  now  slands.  It 
was  thought  best  to  begin  anew,  and  the  old 
corporation  was  accordingly  dissolved.  The 
Rev.  Thomas  Breintnall  became  Reclor  of  the 
church  in  Jan.,  1819,  and  continued  in  that 
office  until  1837,when  he  resigned  his  charge, 
and  removed  from  the  State.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  William  Richmond,  who 
at  that  time  resigned  the  charge  of  St. 
Michael's  and  St.  Mary's  Churches.  Mr. 
Richmond  continued  to  discharge  the  duties 
at  Zion  Church  only ,  until  the  year  1842,  when 
he  became  connected  again  with  St.  Michael's 
Church  also, — a  part  of  his  old  charge.  But 
he  still  sustained  the  Rectorship  of  Zion 
Church  for  two  years  longer,  when  he  re- 
signed it,  and  was  succeeded  by  ihe  Rev 
Richard  Cox,  the  present  minister. 

CALVARY  CHURCH  (near  Corlaer's  Hook). 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1810,  the  Rev. 
Benjamin  P.  Aydelott,  a  physician,  who  had 
received  deacon's  orders,  commenced  preach- 
ing in  the  easterly  part  of  the  city,  near 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  83 

"  Corker's  Hook," — a  point  to  which  most 
of  the  missionary  efforts  of  all  denominations 
in  the  city  had  at  some  time  been  directed. 
The  schoolroom  of  Mr.  John  Dick,  which 
had  been  offered  for  the  purpose,  was  occu- 
pied as  a  place  of  worship  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  here  a  church  of  eleven  members  was 
organized  in  August  of  that  year,  and  called 
"  Calvary  Church."  Mr.  Aydelott  continued 
preaching  here  for  about  a  year,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Maryland,  and  the  church  became 
extinct.  Another  church  of  the  same  name 
was  formed  afterwards,  which  will  be  noticed 
in  its  proper  place. 

ST.  LUKE'S  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  November  6th, 
1820,  having  then  about  thirty  members  in 
communion.  It  was  located  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  city,  toward  Greenwich. 
A  substantial  brick  edifice  was  erected  on 
Hudson  street,  and  opened  in  1822.  The 
first  minister  here  was  the  Rev.  George 
'Upfold,  M.D.,  who  was  instituted  Rector  in 
the  early  part  of  1821,  but  removed  to  Lan- 
singburgh  in  a  few  months,  and  was  sue- 


84  EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

ceeded  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Dorr,  who  re- 
mained one  year,  when  he  went  to  Lansing- 
burgh,  and  Dr.  Upfold  returned  to  New 
York,  and  remained  the  Rector  of  St.  Luke's 
Church  for  about  six  years,  when  he  resigned 
the  charge.  On  March  8th,  1828,  he  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Levi  S.  Ives,  who  re- 
mained about  three  years,  when  he  resigned. 
He  afterwards  became  Bishop  of  North 
Carolina.  The  next  minister  of  St.  Luke's 
was  the  Rev.  William  R.  Whittingham,  who 
became  Rector  in  October,  1831,  and  left  on 
account  of  ill  health,  in  1834.  He  is  now 
Bishop  of  Maryland.  The  present  Rector 
of  this  church  is  the  Rev.  John  Murray 
Forbes,  who  commenced  his  labors  Septem- 
ber "  26,  1834.  This  has  become  a  very 
flourishing  church  and  congregation.  More 
than  250  members  are  enrolled  in  commu- 
nion. 

ST.  THOMAS'S  CHURCH. 

St.  Thomas's  Church,  now  located  on 
Broadway,  at  the  corner  of  Houston  street, 
was  organized  with  23  members,  on  Decem- 
ber 25,  1823,  and  soon  after  the  Rev.  Cor- 
nelius R.  Duffle  was  instituted  its  Rector. 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  85 

Measures  were  immediately  taken  to  erect 
the  present  capacious  house  of  worship, 
which  was  finished  and  opened  February 
23,  1826.  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Duffie  was 
soon  terminated  by  his  death,  which  took 
place  August  20,  1827,  at  the  age  of  34. 
On  the  sixth  of  March,  in  the  following 
year,  the  Rev.  George  Upfold  was  instituted 
Rector,  and  remained  three  years,  when  he 
resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
Francis  L.  Hawks,  who  became  Rector  De- 
cember 1,  1831.  Dr.  Hawks  continued  to 
officiate  till  about  the  close  of  1843,  when 
he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  follow- 
ing summer  by  the  present  pastor,  the  Rev. 
Henry  J.  Whitehouse,  D.D. 

ALL  SAINTS'  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  gathered  by  the  perse- 
vering missionary  labors  of  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam A.  Clark.  An  effort  had  been  made  in 
the  northeastern  section  of  the  city,  in  the 
year  1820,  to  establish  a  church  near  "  Cor- 
laer's  Hook,"  but  after  about  a  year  the  pro- 
ject failed.  In  the  early  part  of  1824,  Mr. 
Clark  commenced  preaching  in  that  part  of 
the  city,  in  private  houses,  and  being  encou- 
8* 


86  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

raged  with  the  success  attending  his  labors, 
a  church  of  a  few  members  was  organized 
on  May  27th,  in  that  year.  Soon  after  this 
a  temporary  chapel  was  provided,  situated 
on  Grand  street,  at  the  head  of  Division 
street.  At  this  time  the  church  contained 
forty-five  members.  The  chapel  was  soon 
filled,  and  arrangements  were  made  for  the 
erection  of  a  permanent  church  edifice.  A 
site  was  purchased  on  Henry  street,  corner 
of  Scammel  street,  and  a  substantial  stone 
building  was  erected,  and  opened  for  wor- 
ship, on  June  5th,  1828.  Rev.  Dr.  Clark 
continued  his  labors  as  rector  of  this  church, 
very  usefully  and  acceptably,  to  an  increas- 
ing congregation,  until  the  year  1836,  when 
he  resigned  the  charge,  and  removed  to  the 
State  of  Michigan.  In  April,  1837,  he  was 
succeeded  in  All  Saints  Church,  by  the  Rev. 
Benjamin  I.  Haight,  the  present  pastor. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  ASCENSION. 

This  church  was  formed  in  the  year  1827, 
and  the  Rev.  Manton  Eastburn  became  its 
Rector.  On  the  6th  of  April,  in  the  following 
spring,  the  corner  stone  of  a  building  was  laid 
by  Bishop  Hobart,  for  the  accommodation 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  87 

of  this  congregation  ;  situated  on  Canal  street, 
between  Broadway  and  Elm  street,  and  it 
was  completed,  and  opened  for  worship 
May  26th,  1828.  At  this  time  the  church 
had  increased  to  seventy  members.  A  large 
congregation  was  soon  gathered  here,  but, 
in  the  summer  of  1839,  the  church  edifice 
was  destroyed  by  fire;  and  it  was  then 
thought  best  to  remove  from  that  spot.  The 
new  edifice  was  built  on  Fifth  avenue,  cor- 
ner of  Tenth  street,  which  was  consecrated 
November  5th,  1841.  In  December  of  the 
next  year,  Dr.  Eastburn  resigned,  having 
been  elected  Bishop  of  Massachusetts,  and 
was  succeeded  by  the  present  Rector,  Rev. 
Gregory  T.  Bedell,  on  March  19th,  1843. 

ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH. 

The  service  of  the  Episcopal  church  was 
commenced  at  Harlem,  in  November,  1825. 
In  February  following,  the  parish  was  orga- 
nized, and  on  October  20th  of  that  year,  the 
church  was  formed  with  eighteen  members, 
taking  the  name  of  "  St.  Andrew's  Church," 
and  the  Rev.  George  L.  Hinton  became  its 
rector.  A  house  of  worship  was  built, 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

and  opened  June  1st,  1830.  The  cost  of 
the  house  was  about  $5000.  Mr.  Hinton 
died  of  cholera,  in  the  summer  of  1832, 
together  with  his  wife  and  two  children. 
After  this  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coit  supplied  for  a 
time,  and  in  1834,  the  Rev.  Abram  B.  Hart 
became  Rector,  and  remained  in  office  six 
years.  He  was  succeeded,  in  1840,  by  Rev. 
James  H.  Bayley,  who  officiated  as  Rector 
two  years.  When  Mr.  Bayley  resigned, 
Rev.  Ralph  Hoyt  supplied  the  pulpit  for 
about  one  year,  when,  in  1843,  the  present 
pastor  of  the  church,  Rev.  R.  Mason  Aber- 
crombie,  was  instituted.  The  present  num- 
ber of  communicants  is  forty-five. 

ST.  CLEMENT'S  CHURCH. 

In  the  month  of  July,  1830,  an  Episcopal 
church  was  organized  under  the  above  title, 
and  the  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard  was  appoint- 
ed Rector.  They  met  for  worship  in  what 
was  called  "  The  Long  Room,"  in  the  rear 
of  the  military  hall,  on  Barrow  street.  The 
first  services  were  attended  by  only  about 
thirty  persons.  During  the  summer  the 
congregation  increased  to  about  one  hundred 
and  eighty,  and  about  thirty-six  were  enrol- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  89 

led  as  communicants.  Measures  were 
immediately  taken  to  erect  a  church  edifice, 
which  was  accomplished;  and  the  house 
opened  for  worship,  May  5th,  1831.  It 
is  situated  on  Amity  street,  near  Sullivan 
street.  Dr.  Bayard  continued  to  officiate 
here,  usefully  and  successfully,  until  the 
close  of  the  year  1839,  when  his  health  fail- 
ed, and  he  left  for  Europe,  and  finally  died 
at  Malta,  September  2d,  1840.  The  Rev. 
Edward  N.  Mead  was  left  in  charge  of  the 
church,  as  a  temporary  supply,  and  after  the 
death  of  Dr.  Bayard,  became  Rector,  and 
continues  to  the  present  time. 

ST.  PETER'S  CHURCH. 

St.  Peter's  Episcopal  Church  is  located  on 
Twentieth  street,  near  the  Ninth  avenue,  and 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Episcopal  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  A  church  was  organized 
here  in  the  summer  of  1831,  and  the  Rev. 
Benjamin  I.  Haighl,  who  was  then  connected 
with  the  Theological  Seminary,  became  a 
stated  supply.  In  the  course  of  that  year,  a 
chapel  was  built,  which  was  opened  as  a 
placeof  worship  Feb.  4, 1832.  -Thecongrega- 
tion  was  then  small,  and  22  members  only 


90  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

were  enrolled  in  the  church.  Mr.  Haight 
continued  as  the  supply  until  Dec.  1,  1833, 
when  he  was  duly  instituted  as  Rector.  In 
the  next  year  he  resigned  this  charge,  and 
removed  to  Cincinnati,  and  was  succeeded 
in  the  Rectorship  of  St.  Peter's,  on  Nov.  2, 
1834,  by  the  Rev.  Smith  Pyne,  who  remain- 
ed nearly  two  years,  when  the  present  Rec- 
tor, Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  D.D.,  succeeded  him. 
In  the  early  part  of  Dr.  Smith's  ministry  the 
present  house  of  worship  was  built.  It  was 
completed  and  opened  Feb.  22,  1838,  after 
which  the  old  chapel  was  converted  into  a 
parsonage  house. 

EPISCOPAL  MISSION  CHURCHES. 

The  Episcopal  City  Mission  was  organ- 
ized in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1831,  when  it 
was  resolved  to  establish  Mission  Churches, 
for  the  more  destitute  portions  of  the  popu- 
lation in  the  city.  The  first  church  of  this 
description  was  in  Vandewater  street.  A 
house  of  worship  had  been  built  there  ten 
years  before,  occupied  successively  by  the 
Congregationalism,  'Presbyterians,  and  Re- 
formed Dutch.  This  house  was  purchased 
for  $16,000,  consecrated  by  the  Bishop  ac- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  91 

cording  to  the  forms  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  on  Nov.  19,  1831,  under  the  title  of 
"  The  Mission  Church  of  the  Holy  Evan- 
gelists." The  Rev.  Benjamin  C.  Cutler 
was  appointed  to  labor  there,  and  entered  on 
his  labors  in  December  of  that  year.  During 
the  first  year  a  congregation  of  about  400 
persons  was  generally  gathered  on  the  Sab- 
bath, a  large  number  attended  communion 
there,  and  about  30  gave  in  their  names  as 
permanent  members  of  the  church. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1833,  Mr.  Cutler 
resigned  his  station  as  Missionary,  having 
been  elected  Rector  of  St.  Ann's  Church  in 
Brooklyn.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  Mis- 
sion Church  by  the  Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  of 
Hartford,  Conn.,  who  labored  here  until 
early  in  the  spring  of  1836,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Alexander  Frazer.  The 
church  was  in  a  prosperous  state,  with  92 
members,  and  a  large  and  flourishing  Sab- 
bath School. 

Rev.  Ezra  B.  Kellogg  succeeded  Mr. 
Frazer,  and  remained  until  Nov.,  1838, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Jesse 
Pound,  who  remained  in  charge  of  the  church 
until  Feb.  1, 1842,  at  which  time  the  num- 


92  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

ber  of  communicants  was  something  over 
200.  Mr.  Pound  was  then  transferred  to 
the  Mission  Church  of  St.  Matthew ;  since 
which  time  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Evans  has 
had  charge  of  this  church.  In  Sept.,  1845, 
this  church  was  received  into  the  Conven- 
tion, and  its  connection  with  the  city  mission 
was  dissolved. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  EPIPHANY. 

The  origin  of  this  church  is  full  of  inte- 
rest. On  a  Sabbath,  in  the  autumn  of  1832, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  McVickar  had  occasion  to  pass 
through  Stanton  street,  the  lower  part  of 
which  was  then  a  wretched  and  neglected 
quarter  of  the  city.  Here  he  encountered 
throngs  of  idle  and  destitute  children,  play- 
ing in  the  street,  or  lounging  in  the  sun. 
Addressing  one  of  the  groups  with  the  ques- 
tion why  they  were  not  at  Sunday  School, 
he  was  answered  that  there  was  none ;  and 
why  they  were  not  at  church,  that  there  was 
no  church.  His  heart  was  moved  with  the 
situation  of  those  children  and  their  parents, 
and  on  reporting  this  case  to  two  Christian 
ladies  they  at  once  placed  in  his  hands  $75, 
saying,  "  We  will  have  on  that  spot  a  Mis- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


93 


sion  Church ;  do  you  preach,  and  we  will 
help  you."  Thus  encouraged,  a  room  was 
sought  for,  and  with  some  difficulty  obtain- 
ed, not  far  from  that  spot.  It  was  a  small 
dark  room,  over  an  Engine  House,  facing  on 
Allen  street..  Here,  as  the  first  congregation, 
there  were  assembled  six  adult  .worship- 
pers, with  two  prayer-books,  and  a  few  rag- 
ged children  that  were  persuaded  to  enter. 
On  the  second  Sabbath  the  room  was  filled, 
and  a  Sabbath  School  organized ;  and  on 
the  third  Sabbath  the  congregation  assem- 
bled in  a  more  commodious  place,  being 
a  Hall  on  the  corner  of  Allen  and  Houston 
streets,  then  called  North  street.  This  was 
on  Jan.  6th,  1833,  being  most  appropriately 
Epiphany,  or  the  day  of  the  manifestation  of 
Christ  to  the  Gentiles. 

In  looking  for  a  permanent  missionary  to 
cultivate  this  new  and  interesting  field,  one 
of  the  ladies  above  .referred  to,  named  the 
Rev.  Lot  Jones,  then  settled  in  Massachusetts, 
as  a  suitable  man,  offering  to  guarantee  his 
support  for  the  first  six  months.  He  was 
accordingly  written  to  and  obtained,  and 
entered  on  his  labors  in  February  following. 
On  the  26th  of  August,  of  the  same  year,  a 
9 


94  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

site  having  been  purchased  on  Stanton 
street,  near  to  the  place  where  Dr.  McVickar 
met  the  boys,  the  corner  stone  of  the  "  Church 
of  the  Epiphany"  was  laid  by  Bishop 
Moore,  of  Virginia ;  and  it  was  completed 
and  opened  for  service  on  June  28th,  1834  ; 
the  whole  establishment  having  cost  about 
$19,000.  Here  Mr.  Jones  has  continued 
his  labors  to  the  present  time,  being  the 
regular  Rector  of  that  church  ;  and  as  we 
look  into  this  house  of  worship  now,  con- 
taining on  every  Sabbath  a  large  and  atten- 
tive congregation,  including  more  than  five 
hundred  communicants  at  the  Lord's  table, 
and  a  flourishing  Sabbath  school  of  three 
hundred  children,  under  the  care  of  forty  de- 
voted teachers,  and  compare  it  with  the  be- 
ginning, as  above  stated,  we  are  constrained 
to  exclaim  with  gratitude,  "  What  hath  God 
wrought  ?" 

THE  CHURCH  OF  ST.  MATTHEW. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1842,  a  legacy 
from  the  estate  of  Mr.  Charles  Morgan,  of 
$15,000,  was  confided  to  the  disposal  of  his 
pastor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eastburn,  but  with  a 
suggestion  concerning  the  purchase  of  a 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  95 

building  then  known  to  be  for  sale,  standing 
on  Christopher  street,  which  was  built  and 
used  by  the  Eighth  Presbyterian  Church, 
with  a  view  to  the  establishment  of  a  third 
Mission  (Dhurch.  To  this  sum  there  was 
afterwards  added  a  legacy  of  $5,000,  from 
the  estate  of  Thomas  Otis,  Esq.  In  con- 
sequence of  these  liberal  bequests  the  build- 
ing was  purchased  for  $15,000,  and  conse- 
crated as  "  the  Church  of  St.  Matthew,''  on 
March  15,  1842.  Rev.  Jesse  Pound,  who 
had  previously  had  charge  of  the  Mission 
Church  in  Vandewater  street,  was  transferred 
to  this,  and  is  now  its  regular  Rector.  The 
first  communion  here  was  attended  in  April, 
1842,  by  about  fifty  communicants,  forty  of 
whom  expressed  a  wish  to  become  perma- 
nently attached  to  that  station.  A  Sabbath 
school  was  commenced  with  about  seventy 
children.  They  have  now  one  hundred  and 
seventy,  and  in  May,  1845,  reported  one 
hundred  and  seventy-seven  members  in  com- 
munion. 

"  FREE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEMPTION." 

This  was  a  Mission  Church,  formed  about 
the  year  1836.     They  met  for  worship  in 


96  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

the  "  Minerva  Rooms,"  Broadway,  near 
Canal  street,  under  the  ministry  successively 
of  the  Rev.  John  F.  Fish,  Rev.  Edward  C. 
Bull,  and  the  Rev.  Calvin  Col  ton,  each  for 
short  terms  of  time.  A  considerable  con- 
gregation attended  these  services ;  a  large 
Sabbath  School  was  gathered,  and  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty  members  were  reported  in 
communion.  But  these  services  were  all 
suddenly  discontinued,  and  in  1837,  seventy 
members  of  the  church  and  many  of  the 
congregation  mingled  with  Zion  Church 
in  Molt  street,  then  under  the  charge  of  the 
Rev.  William  Richmond,  and  the  "  Free 
Church  of  the  Redemption"  is  no  longer 
known. 

"  CHURCH  OF  THE  MESSIAH." 

An  Episcopal  church  by  this  name  was 
organized  in  1836,  and  met  for  worship  in 
the  Hall  of  the  "  Lyceum  of  Natural  His- 
tory," on  Broadway,  near  Houston  street. 
At  the  session  of  the  Convention  in  October, 
1837,  they  applied  to  that  body  to  be  receiv- 
ed, but  were  refused  on  account  of  infor- 
mality. The  Rev.  Calvin  Colton  was  at 
that  time  reported  as  Rector,  but  no  other 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  97 

parochial  report  was  made.  In  the  next 
year  the  Rev.  Mr.  Shimeall  was  reported  as 
Rector,  and  after  this  the  church  became  ex- 
tinct. 

ST.  MATTHEW'S  CHURCH  (COLORED). 

Tn  the  year  1840,  an  Episcopal  church  of 
colored  persons  was  gathered,  principally 
by  the  labors  of  the  Rev.  Isaiah  G.  DeGrasse, 
a  respectable  colored  preacher.  They 
met  for  worship  in  a  Hall  on  the  corner  of 
Elizabeth  and  Grand  streets,  and  removed 
afterward  to  Motl  street.  Mr.  DeGrasse 
preached  here  about  two  years,  and  a  con- 
siderable congregation  was  gathered  around 
him.  But  his  health  becoming  impaired, 
he  made  a  voyage  to  the  West  Indies,  and 
died  there,  and  the  congregation  ceased  to 
meet.  Thus  things  remained  for  more  than 
two  years. 

In  April  of  the  year  1845,  an  effort  was 
made  to  resuscitate  this  church.  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Cromwell,  a  young  colored  preacher, 
was  obtained,  and  a  meeting  was  opened  in 
a  Hall,  at  592  Broadway.  It  was  found 
necessary,  however,  to  reorganize  the  church, 
9* 


98  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

which  was  done  with  about  twenty  mem- 
bers ;  and  as  another  church  had  been 
formed  under  the  name  of  "  St.  Matthew," 
it  became  necessary  to  change  the  name, 
and  it  was  styled 

"  THE  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
OF  THE  MESSIAH." 

A  congregation  of  between  one  and  two 
hundred  persons  is  assembled  here,  from 
Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  and  efforts  are  making 
to  obtain  a  house  of  worship. 

ST.  AUGUSTINE'S  CHURCH. 

This  was  a  small  church  of  eighteen 
members,  formed  in  the  year  1834,  and 
placed  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Rev. 
Thomas  S.  Brittan.  But  Mr.  Brittan  left  in 
the  following  year,  and  the  church  became 
extinct. 

EMMANUEL  CHURCH. 

An  Episcopal  church  by  this  name  was 
organized  June  20,  1834,  with  twenty-eight 
original  members.  The  Rev.  Francis  H. 
Gumming  was  Rector.  Mr.  Gumming  con- 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  99 

tinued  with  this  church  for  a  little  more  than 
a  year,  when  becoming  Rector  of  the  Cal- 
vary Church,  this  church  was  dissolved. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  NATIVITY. 

The  efforts  which  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  "  Church  of  the  Nativity," 
were  begun  by  laymen  in  the  organization 
of  a  Sabbath  School  near  the  Dry-Dock,  a 
district  of  the  city  at  that  time  peculiarly 
destitute  of  the  means  of  religious  instruc- 
tion. A  parish  organization  took  place  in 
April,  1834,  and  for  more  than  a  year,  they 
had  nothing  more  than  a  temporary  place  of 
worship,  and  a  lay-reader.  After  this  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Seabury  officiated  for  a  time. 
In  the  autumn  of  1835,  the  church  contained 
fifty-two  members,  and  the  Sabbath  School 
numbered  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  in 
constant  attendance.  Toward  the  close  of 
the  year  1835,  the  Rev.  William  F.  Walker 
became  a  stated  supply,  and  continued  with 
the  church  for  one  year.  In  the  early  part 
of  1837  the  chapel  was  destroyed  by  fire ; 
but  the  church,  though  few  and  weak,  were 
not  altogether  discouraged  ;  and  having  ob- 


100  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

tained,  as  a  regular  supply,  the  Rev.  Solon 
W.  Manney,  in  July,  1837,  they  made  an 
effort  to  struggle  on.  In  1833  they  succeed- 
ed in  erecting  a  neat  brick  edifice  on  Avenue 
D,  and  Mr.  Manney  was  duly  instituted 
Rector  of  the  church.  In  February,  1840, 
Mr.  Manney  removed  from  the  State,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Anthony  Ten  Broeck, 
who  remained  a  year,  and  was  succeeded  in 
April,  1842,  by  the  Rev.  Caleb  Clapp,  the 
present  pastor.  The  seats  in  this  church  are 
free.  The  Sabbath  School  continues  large 
and  flourishing,  and  the  church  contains 
about  eighty  members. 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEW'S  CHURCH. 

In  the  spring  of  1835,  the  building  of  a 
new  Episcopal  Church  was  undertaken  on 
Lafayette  place,  between  Great-Jones  street 
and  Fourth  street.  In  the  following  year 
the  edifice  was  completed,  and  the  church 
organized ;  and  when  admitted  to  the  con- 
vention, in  October,  1836,  the  church  Con- 
tained seventy-three  members.  Of  this  church 
the  Rev.  Charles  Vernon  Kelley  became 
Rector.  In  less  than  two  years  Mr,  Kelley 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  101 

resigned  the  charge,  and  was  succeeded  by 
the  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  L.  P.  W.  Balch. 

CALVARY  CHURCH. 

This  church  is  located  on  the  Fourth 
avenue,  near  Twentieth  street.  It  was  or- 
ganized with  nine  members,  in  the  year 
1836.  During  that  year  a  small  frame  build- 
ing was  erected  on  the  Fourth  avenue,  near 
Thirty -fifth  street,  which  was  opened  for 
worship  on  January  1st,  1837.  About  this 
time  the  Rev.  Francis  H.  Gumming  became 
Rectpr,  and  remained  in  this  office  until  the 
summer  of  1838,  when  he  resigned  the 
charge,  and  removed  to  Michigan.  At  this 
time  the  congregation  had  somewhat  enlarg- 
ed, and  forty-four  members  were  enrolled  in 
communion.  Rev.  Charles  Jones  was  the 
second  pastor  of  this  church,  becoming  such 
in  November,  1838,  and  resigning  the  charge 
in  1841.  About  the  middle  of  November, 
in  that  year,  the  Rev.  Smyth  Pyne  became 
Rector  of  the  church.  For  some  time  the 
location  of  the  church  had  been  thought  un- 
favorable for  its  usefulness,  as  being  too  far 
up  in  the  unsettled  parts  of  the  city  ;  and  in 
the  spring  of  1842,  it  was  removed  to  its  pre- 


102  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

sent  position,  near  Twenty-first  street,  and 
there  enlarged  and  repaired.  Mr.  Pyne  re- 
mained with  the  church  about  two  years, 
when  he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  in 
September,  1844,  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  L. 
Southard,  the  present  minister.  The  corner 
stone  of  a  new  edifice,  near  the  site  of  the 
old  one,  was  laid  by  the  Bishop  of  Michigan, 
on  March  10th,  1841. 

ST.  TIMOTHY'S  CHURCH. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1837,  an  ef- 
fort was  made  to  establish  an  Episcopal 
Church,  for  the  benefit  of  the  German  popu- 
lation in  the  city.  A  Presbyterian  Church 
of  German  members  had  been  organized  in 
the  year  1834,  and  the  Rev.  George  Mills 
was  installed  as  its  pastor ;  but  in  October, 
1837,  the  church  agreed  to  become  Episco- 
pal, under  the  name  of  St.  Timothy's  Church. 
Mr.  Mills  received  deacon's  orders,  and  was 
appointed  to  the  charge  of  the  church. 

In  the  course  of  that  year,  a  house  of  wor- 
ship was  erected  on  Sixth  street,  near  the 
Bowery,  at  a  cost  of  $16,000,  which  was  fin- 
ished and  consecrated,  October  3d,  1838. 
But  before  this  took  place,  the  church  was 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  103 

suddenly  deprived  of  its  minister  .by  death. 
This  blasted  their  rising  hopes,  and  broke 
them  up.  A  heavy  debt  lay  upon  the  church 
edifice,  which  the  congregation  could  not 
discharge,  and  they  suffered  it  to  be  sold  un- 
der foreclosure  of  mortgage.  It  was  bought 
for  $14,000,  by  the  "  Sixth  Street  Baptist 
Church,"  and  "  St.  Timothy's  Church  "  be- 
came extinct.  This  took  place  in  the  year 
1840. 

"  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEMPTION. 

The  Baptist  Church,  who  purchased  the 
house  of  worship  in  Sixth  street,  as  related 
above,  held  it  about  two  years,  when  they 
found  it  necessary  to  dispose  of  it ;  and  it 
was  purchased  for  $11,000,  by  an  Episco- 
pal Congregation,  formed  November  28th, 
1842,  and  styled  «  The  Church  of  the  Re- 
demption." This  church  has  about  forty-five 
members.  Rev.  Isaac  Pardee  is  Rector. 

ST.  SIMON'S  CHURCH. 

Although  St.  Timothy's  Church  was 
scattered,  yet  the  German  population  was 
not  forgotten.  Through  the  efforts  of  a  few 


104  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

gentlemen,  members  of  different  churches,  a 
new  church  of  fifteen  members,  styled  "  St. 
Simon's,"  was  organized  in  1844,  occupying 
a  small  frame  building  in  Houston  street, 
where  the  service  is  performed  in  the  Ger- 
man language.  Rev.  Christian  Cruse,  D.D., 
is  Rector. 

"  CHURCH  OF  THE  ANNUNCIATION." 

A  church  under  this  title  was  organized 
April  16th,  1838,  enrolling  about  fifty  mem- 
bers, and  of  this  church  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Seabury,  D.D.,  became  Rector,  and  in 
August  following  the  church  was  received 
into  the  Convention.  An  edifice  was  ob- 
tained, standing  on  the  corner  of  Prince  and 
Thompson  streets, — a  substantial  stone 
building,  erected  by  the  Associate  Presby- 
terians. This  building  was  consecrated  ac- 
cording to  the  rites  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
on  March  25th,  1838,  being  the  festival  of 
the  Annunciation  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and 
the  church  from  this  circumstance  was 
called  "  The  Church  of  the  Annunciation." 
The  church  continued  to  occupy  this  build- 
ing until  the  spring  of  the  year  1845,  when  it 
was  relinquished  to  the  "  Emanuel  Free 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  105 

Church,"  and  the  church  of  the  Annuncia- 
tion retired  to  the  chapel  of  the  New  York 
University,  where  they  at  present  remain. 
Dr.  Seabury  is  still  Rector.  About  100  are 
enrolled  in  communion.  It  is  understood  this 
church  has  recently  purchased  lots  on  which 
to  build  a  house  of  worship,  on  Fourteenth 
street,  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  avenues. 

ST.  JUDE'S  FREE  CHURCH. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1842,  the  Rev. 
R.  C.  Shimeall  commenced  preaching  in 
the  Chapel  of  the  New  York  University, 
with  a  view  to  the  ultimate  gathering  of  a 
church.  His  efforts  were  successful,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1843  an  Episcopal  Church 
was  organized,  which  took  the  name  of 
"  St.  Jude's  Protestant  Free  Church."  Dur- 
ing that  summer  a  small  building  was  pur- 
chased, standing  on  leased  ground,  on  the 
Sixth  avenue,  opposite  Amity  street.  This 
building  was  enlarged  and  thoroughly  re- 
paired, at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000,  including 
the  purchase  money,  and  has  become  a  very 
convenient  'and  respectable  house  of  wor- 
ship, being  67  feet  long,  and  46  feet  wide, 

and  capable  of  accommodating  nearly  800 
10 


106  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

persons.  The  building  was  finished  during 
the  year  1844,  and  the  congregation  re- 
moved thither.  Mr.  Shimeall  is  Rector  of 
the  church.  It  is  a  flourishing  congrega- 
tion, and  bids  fair  to  be  very  useful  in  that 
section  of  the  city. 

FRENCH  CHURCH  DU  St.  SAUVEUR. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1843,  and 
had  about  20  regular  communicants.  Rev. 
C.  H.  Williamson  was  appointed  Rector. 
Having  as  yet  no  house  of  worship,  they 
assemble  in  the  "  Brick  Church  Chapel," 
near  the  Park.  The  congregation  is  not 
large.  All  the  exercises  are  conducted  in 
the  French  language. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  SAVIOUR. 

The  Floating  Chapel  for  seamen  was 
built  by  the  "  Young  Men's  Missionary 
Society  of  the  Episcopal  Church,"  and  was 
opened  for  religious  worship  on  Feb.  15, 
1844.  It  was  built  on  a  firm  platform,  or 
deck,  covering  two  boats,  and  makes  a  con- 
venient room,  70  feet  long,  and  30  feet  wide. 
It  is  permanently  moored  in  the  East  River, 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  107 

at  the  foot  of  Pike  street.  As  soon  as  the 
chapel  was  prepared,  a  church  was  or- 
ganized, called  the  "  Church  of  the  Saviour." 
Rev.  B.  C.  C.  Parker  is  Rector. 

EMMANUEL  FREE  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  received  into  the  Con- 
vention in  Sept.,  1845,  having  been  formed 
during  the  year  preceding.  They  occupy 
the  house  of  worship  vacated  by  the  Church 
of  the  Annunciation,  on  the  corner  of  Prince 
and  Thompson  streets.  No  parochial  report 
has  yet  been  published.  Rev.  Edwin  A. 
Nichols  is  Rector. 

"  ANGLO-AMERICAN  FREE   CHURCH    OF  ST. 
GEORGE  THE  MARTYR," 

Such  is  the  style  of  an  Episcopal  Church, 
established  in  1845,  for  the  particular  accom- 
modation of  British  Emigrants.  They  meet 
in  a  Hall  on  Broadway,  near  Canal  street. 
Rev.  Moses  Marcus  is  Rector. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  HOLY  APOSTLES. 

A  church  by  this  name  was  formed  in 
1845,  under  the  Rectorship  of  the  Rev.  F. 


103  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Thayer.  They  meet  in  a  Hall  on  Thirty- 
sixth  street,  near  the  Eighth  avenue,  but 
have  commenced  building  a  church  edifice 
on  Twenty-eighth  street,  near  Ninth  avenue. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  in  April,  1846. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  HOLY  COMMUNION. 

A  very  costly  and  singular  building  was 
erected  in  the  year  1845,  on  the  Sixth  ave- 
nue, at  the  corner  of  Twentieth  street,  taking 
the  above  name.  -It  is  a  free  church,  having 
no  pews,  but  is  furnished  with  free  seats. 
Rev.  W.  A.  Muhlenbergis  the  Rector. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  CRUCIFIXION. 

Preaching  was  commenced  in  the  Hall  of 
the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  on  Broad- 
way, toward  the  close  of  the  year,  1845,  by 
the  Rev.  John  Grigg,  and  soon  after  a  church 
under  the  above  name  was  formed.  The 
congregation  is  at  present  small. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD. 

A  small  Episcopal  church  by  this  name 
has  been  gathered  under  the  ministry  of 
Rev.  R.  Hoyt,  meeting  in  a  Hall  on  Market 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  109 

street,  near  Munroe  street.  The  organiza- 
tion was  effected  in  the  early  part  of  the 
year  1846. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  ADVENT. 

An  Episcopal  church  by  this  name  was 
formed  in  the  early  spring  of  1846,  meeting 
on  Fortieth  street,  near  Ninth  avenue.  They 
have  as  yet  no  pastor. 


110  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

DATES  OF  THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  EPIS- 
COPAL  CHURCHES   IN  NEW  YORK, 

WITH  THE  MEMBERS  IN  COMMUNION,  AS  REPORTED  TO 
THE  CONVENTION  IN  1844.  NO  PAROCHIAL  REPORTS 
WERE  PUBLISHED  IN  1845. 

Date.  Com. 

Trinity , 1697  ) 

St.  Paul's  Chapel 1766  [  800 

St.  John's  Chapel . . ., 1807  ) 

St.  George's 1752  463 

Christ's . 1794  120 

St.  Mark's 1799  230 

Du  St.  Esprit 1804  85 

St.   Stephen's 1805  343 

St.  Michael's 1807  30 

Grace •. 1809  275 

St.  Philip's  (colored), 1809  300 

St.  James' 1810  25 

Zion 1810  150 

St.  Luke's 18*20  257 

St.  Mary's '. 1823  20 

St.  Thomas' .1823  457 

All  Saints' 1824  325 

Ascension 1827  420 

St.  Andrew's 1829  36 

St.  Clement's 1830  140 

St.  Peter's 1831  244 

Church  of  the  Evangelists 1831  200 

Epiphany 1833  500 

Nativity 1834  80 

St.  Bartholomew's 1835  409 

Calvary.. 1836  50 

Annunciation 1838  100 

St.  Matthew's 1842  177 

Redemption 1 843  45 

St.  Jude's 1843  40 

Church  of  the  Saviour/. 1844  no  report. 

French  Church  du  St.  Sauveur 1844  20 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  Ill 

St.  Simon's 1844  15 

Emmanuel 1845  no  report. 

St.  George  the  Martyr 1845  no  report. 

Church  of  the  Holy  Apostle 1845  no  report. 

Church  of  the  Holy  Communion 1845  no  report. 

Church  of  the  Messiah  (colored) 1845  20 

Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd ..1846  no  report. 

Church  of  the  Crucifixion 1846  no  report. 

Church  of  the  Advent 1846  no  report. 

Total  reported 6376 


LIST  OF  EPISCOPAL  CHURCHES  ONCE  FORMED 

AND  BECOME  EXTINCT. 

Date. 

Calvafy  (near  Corlaer's  Hook) 1820 

Christ's  (Ann  street) 1823 

St.  Ann's  (Fort  Washington) 1825 

St.  Augustine's 1834 

Emmanuel  1834 

Free  Church  of  the  Redemption 1836 

Church  of  the  Messiah 1837 

St.  Timothy's  (German) ....  1837 

SL  Matthew's  (colored) 1840 


FRIENDS. 
1703. 


BEFORE  we  sketch  the  history  of  the  Friends' 
Meetings  in  the  City  of  New  York,  it  may 
be  well  to  describe  some  of  their  peculiar 
customs,  especially  as  regards  the  several 
kinds  of  meetings  held. 

Meetings  for  worship  are  held  as  other 
Christians  hold  meetings, — on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  and  at  other  stated  periods,  near 
the  middle  of  the  week. 

For  the  regular  administration  of  dis- 
cipline, the  Friends  have  four  other  meet- 
ings,— viz. :  preparative  meetings,  monthly 
meetings,  quarterly  meetings,  and  yearly 
meetings.  In  these  meetings  worship  is 
first  attended  to,  and  then  business.  The 
preparative  meeting  consists  of  Friend? 
belonging  to  one  or  more  meetings  for  wor 
ship,  and  before  this  meeting  most  matters 


FRIENDS.  113 

of  business  are  first  brought,  and,  if  thought 
of  sufficient  importance,  the  business  is 
properly  arranged,  and  passed  forward  to  a 
monthly  meeting.  The  authority  for  holding 
a  preparative  meeting  is  derived  from  some 
monthly  meeting,  with  the  approbation  of  a 
quarterly  meeting,  to  which  it  is  accountable. 
The  monthly  meeting  includes  several  con- 
gregations in  a  neighborhood,  who  meet  at 
a  given  place  within  the  circle  once  a  month. 
A  meeting  for  worship  first  takes  place,  and 
then  they  separate  to  attend  to  business,—- 
the  men  to  transact  what  belongs  to  the  men 
of  their  own  district,  and  the  females  to 
attend  to  what  pertains  to  their  own  sex. 
The  quarterly  and  yearly  meetings  are  con- 
stituted in  much  the  same  way,  and  their 
business  is  managed  in  a  similar  manner. 
"  The  quarterly  meetings  are  careful  annually 
to  depute  such  Friends  to  attend  the  service 
of  the  yearly  meeting  as  are  men  fearing 
God,  of  good  conversation,  weighty  spirits, 
prudent  and  sincere,  well  acquainted  with 
the  affairs  of  truth,  and  diligent  attenders  of 
meetings  for  discipline  at  home  ;  whose 
practice  and  conversation  is  answerable  to 
the  testimony  they  profess  to  bear;  men 


114  FRIENDS. 

known  to  be  faithful  and  conscientious."* 
It  would  be  well  if  all  our  churches  would 
observe  similar  rules  in  the  selection  of 
delegates  to  attend  public  meetings. 

In  Hhe  yearly  meeting,  the  slate  of  the 
society  at  large  is  ascertained  by  written 
statements  from  the  different  branches  ;  whole 
days  are  devoted  to  business,  with  occasional 
intervals  for  public  worship.  Thus  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Friends  rise  in  rank  from  one 
to  another,  and,  viewed  as  a  whole,  present, 
perhaps,  as  perfect  a  system  of  discipline 
as  can  be  found  in  any  denomination. 

George  Fox,  who  was  born  at  Drayton, 
in  Leicestershire,  England,  in  July,  1624, 
stands  at  the  head  of  this  denomination.  At 
the  age  of  twenty -three,  he  began  to  preach 
the  doctrines  which  he  had  embraced,  and 
before  the  close  of  that  century,  the  senti- 
ments he  held  had  been  embraced  by  many, 
both  in  Europe  and  America.  Meetings 
had  been  established  in  many  countries,  and 
their  ministers,  with  a  zeal  which  nothing 
earthly  could  subdue,  travelled  from  nation 
to  nation,  to  make  known  their  faith.  With 
a  constancy  not  surpassed  in  modern  times, 

*  Rules  of  Discipline  of  the  yearly  meeting. 


FRIENDS.  115' 

they  bore  the  most  cruel  mockings  and 
scourgings,  in  almost  every  country  they  en- 
tered. Public  sentiment  was  against  them, 
it  was  an  age  of  persecution,  and  they  were 
made  the  victims ;  and  it  was  many  years 
before  men  appear  to  have  discovered  that 
the  rights  of  conscience  ought  to  be  respect- 
ed, and  that  open  persecution  was  no  way 
to  propagate  the  religion  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace. 

It  is  very  difficult,  if  not  quite  impossible, 
to  fix  the  date  of  the  establishment  of 
Friends'  Meetings,  in  the  city  of  New  York.. 
In  the  year  1656,  Robert  Hodgson,  a 
preacher  of  this  denomination,  landed  in> 
New  York,  with  some  others,  but  finding  it 
dangerous  to  remain  there,  they  left  without 
much  delay.  In  1672,  George  Fox,  the 
founder  of  the  sect,  travelled  over  Long  Is- 
land, and  passed  by  water  over  to  Rhode 
Island ;  but  he  seems  to  have  avoided  New 
York,  for  he  came  across  by  water,  from 
Middletown,  in  New  Jersey,  to  Gravesend, 
and  returned  by  the  same  route.* 

As  far  as  can  now  be  ascertained,  the  first 
stated  meetings  for  worship  in  this  city  were 

*See  Prime's  History  of  Long  Island,  page  338. 


116  FRIENDS. 

established  about  the  commencement  of  the 
last  century,  and  were  connected  with  a 
monthly  'meeting  held  at  Flushing,  which 
was  connected  with  the  yearly  meeting  held 
on  Long  Island,  which  was  established  as 
early  as  1670.  The  first  Friends'  Meeting- 
House  in  New  York  city  was  erected  not 
far  from  the  commencement  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. Some  have  placed  its  dale  in  the  year 
1696 ;  others  in  1703,  and  others  in  1706. 
It  was  a  small  frame  building,  standing  on 
Little  Green  street,  running  from  Maiden 
lane  to  Liberty  street,  which  was  then  called 
"  Crown  street ;"  and  this  continued  as  the 
sole  place  of  public  worship  for  the  Friends 
in  this  city  for  about  seventy  years. 

In  the  year  1775,  a  substantial  meeting- 
house, of  brick,  was  erected  on  Pearl  street, 
between  Franklin  square  and  Oak  street, 
which  was  taken  down  in  1824,  and  its  place 
supplied  by  stores  and  dwellings.  In  the  year 
1794,  the  old  meeting-house  on  Little  Green 
street  having  become  very  much  decayed,  a 
new  building  was  put  up  adjoining  it,  but 
fronting  on  Liberty  street,  which  was  used 
for  about  seven  years  as  a  school-house,  and 
a  place  of  public  worship.  In  1802,  the 


FRIEND'S.  117 

school-house  and  the  old  meeting-house 
were  both  removed,  and  a  new  house  of 
worship  built.  It  was  a  brick  building, 
measuring  60  feet  by  40.  This  was  occu- 
pied as  a  meeting-house  until  1826,  when  it 
was  thought  best  to  remove  the  meeting  from 
that  location,  and  in  October  of  that  year,  it 
was  sold  to  Mr.  Grant  Th  orb  urn,  who  occu- 
pied it  as  a  seed  store  for  nearly  ten  years, 
when  it  was  taken  down,  and  large  brick 
stores  were  erected  in  its  place. 

In  1819,  another  meeting  was  opened,  and 
a  large  house  of  worship  built  of  brick,  on 
Hester  street,  between  Elizabeth  street  and 
the  Bowery;  and  about  the  same  time  a 
meeting  was  opened  at  Manhattanville, 
where  a  small  frame  building  was  erected. 
This  meeting  has  since  been  discontinued. 

When  the  meeting-house  on  Pearl  street 
was  taken  down,  in  1824,  as  previously  re- 
lated, a  very  spacious  building  was  erected 
on  Rose  street,  near  Pearl  street,  and  to  this 
the  congregation  repaired,  who  had  formerly 
assembled  in  Pearl  street.  Such  was  the 
state  of  things  in  the  year  1827,  when  the 
great  schism  in  the  denomination  took  place. 
At  that  time  the  Orthodox  Friends,  as  they 
11 


118  FRIENDS. 

are  styled,  separated  and  built  a  house  of 
worship  on  Henry  street,  between  Catharine 
and  Market  streets  ;  which,  having  occupied 
for  about  twelve  years,  they  sold  to  the  Jew- 
ish Synagogue  "  Anshi  Chesed,"  in  the  year 
1840,  and  erected  a  large  and  very  substan- 
tial building  of  brick,  on  Orchard  street,  near 
Walker,  where  they  still  remain ;  the  meet- 
ings in  Rose  street,  and  Hester  street  being 
attached  to  the  other  division  of  the  church  ', 
and  a  third  meeting  has  been  added  to  these 
since,  viz. ;  a  small  assembly  who  meet  in 
Downing  street,  near  Bleecker,  where  they 
have  a  brick  edifice,  erected  in  the  year  1832, 
40  by  46  feet  in  dimensions. 


THE  MEETINGS  OF  FRIENDS  IN  THE  CITY 
OF  NEW  YORK,  WITH  THE  DATE  OF  THEIR 
ESTABLISHMENT. 

Date, 

Rose  street,  formerly  in  Little  Green  street,  Liberty 

street,  and  Pearl  street 1 703 

Hester  street 1819 

Orchard  street,  formerly  in  Henry  street 1828 

Downing  street .1832 

Manhattan ville,  opened  in  1819,  but  soon  discontinued. 


JEWS. 
1706. 


AMONG  the  early  settlers  of  the  city  of 
New  York,  there  were  some  families  of  Jews. 
That  was  not  a  day  of  free  toleration,  for 
although  the  seed  of  Abraham  were  not 
persecuted  here  as  in  some  other  countries, 
yet  when  they  respectfully  petitioned  for 
leave  to  establish  public  worship,  and  main- 
tain it  according  to  their  own  faith,  they 
were  refused  by  the  city  authorities.  This 
took  place  in  1685.  But  this  state  of  things 
did  not  long  continue,  for  some  evidence  re- 
mains that  before  the  close  of  that  century 
the  Jews  did  assemble  for  worship  according 
to  their  own  forms.  A  piece  of  ground  for 
a  burying  place  was  procured  very  early,  a 
large  portion  of  which  was  the  gift  of  a  few 
gentlemen.  It  is  situated  on  the  west  side 
of  Oliver  street,  nearly  opposite  the  Baptist 


120  JEWS. 

meeting-house,  and  is  now  entirely  hemmed 
in  with  buildings.  Monuments  are  still  stand- 
ing there,  bearing  the  date  of  1672.  A  grant 
for  the  same  purpose  was  afterwards  made 
to  the  Jews  by  the  City  Council,  but  the 
gift  does  not  appear  to  have  been  realized. 

It  may  be  difficult  to  date  with  precision, 
the  establishment  of  the  first  Jewish  congre- 
gation in  New  York.  The  first  minutes 
which  can  now  be  found,  are  written  in 
Spanish  and  English,  and  are  dated  in  1729, 
but  reference  is  made  to  other  minutes  dated 
in  1706,  at  which  time,  if  not  before,  it  is 
altogether  probable  that  a  congregation  ex- 
isted in  an  orderly  manner.  About  this  time 
a  small  frame  building  was  erected  for  a 
Synagogue,  standing  on  Mill  street,  so  called, 
from  a  mill  built  on  a  run  of  water,  in  which 
it  was  said  the  Jewish  females  performed 
their  ablutions.  In  a  few  years  the  congre- 
gation increased  considerably,  and  in  1729, 
finding  their  place  of  worship  inconvenient, 
they  erected  a  neat  stone  edifice,  measuring 
thirty-six  feet  by  fifty-eight.  This  also  stood 
on  Mill  street,  on  the  site  of  their  first  build- 
ing. Here  the  congregation  continued  to 
worship  for  almost  a  century,  and  while  the 


JEWS.  121 

fathers  went  down  to  the  grave,  the  children 
rose  up  in  their  places.  In  the  year  1818, 
the  synagogue  in  Mill  street,  which  had  be- 
come decayed,  was  rebuilt,  and  in  a  few 
years  more,  the  increasing  business  of  the 
city  drove  the  families  away  from  the  vicinity 
of  the  synagogue,  and  constrained  the  Jew- 
ish congregation,  like  other  churches,  to 
change  their  location.  Accordingly,  they 
disposed  of  their  property  in  Mill  street,  and 
in  the  year  1833,  erected  a  spacious  and 
elegant  synagogue,  with  houses  for  the 
minister  and  sexton,  on  Crosby  street,  near 
Spring  street,  where  they  now  remain.  The 
names  of  the  earliest  ministers  of  this  con- 
gregation have  not  been  ascertained.  The 
earliest  name  which  the  writer  has  obtained  is 
that  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Isaac  Jeshurun  Pinto, 
who  died  in  the  year  1766,  but  it  is  not 
known  how  long  he  officiated.  He  was 
succeeded  in  the  same  year,  by  the  Rev. 
Gershom  Mendes  Seixas,  who  officiated  fifty 
years,  and  died  much  lamented,  in  1816. 
The  Rev.  Moses  L.  M.  Peixotto  succeeded 
Mr.  Seixas,  and  officiated  until  his  death,  in 
the  year  1827.  The  Rev.  Isaac  B.  Seixas 
a  nephew  of  the  former  minister,  succeeded, 
11* 


]22  JEWS. 

and  served  until  his  death,  which  took  place 
in  August,  1839.  The  Rev.  Jaques  J.  Lyons 
succeeded  Mr.  Seixas,  October  15, 1839,  and 
still  sustains  the  pastoral  office. 

About  the  year  1824,  a  second  synagogue 
was  established,  principally  of  German  and 
Polish  Jews,  who  separated  from  the  congre- 
gation in  Crosby  street.  The  difference  be- 
tween them  and  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
Jews,  who  assemble  at  Crosby  street,  related 
to  a  difference  of  dialect  in  reading  the  He- 
brew, and  some  forms  of  worship,  though,  of 
course,  nothing  essential  in  the  framework 
of  their  religion.  They  met  for  a  time  in 
a  Hall  in  the  Dispensary,  on  the  corner  of 
White  and  Centre  streets,  but  in  1826  they 
purchased  a  church  edifice  standing  on  Elm 
street,  near  Canal,  which  was  built  by  the 
colored  Presbyterians  two  years  before,  and 
altering  it  to  suit  their  own  worship,  re- 
moved there.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Hart  was  their 
first  minister.  He  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Myers,  and  he,  in  the  autumn  of 
1839,  by  the  Rev.  S.  M.  Isaacs.  About  the 
year  1844,  a  secession  took  place  in  this  con- 
gregation which  led  to  the  establishment  of 
another,  which  assembles  at  the  present  time 


JEWS.  123 

in  Franklin  street,  with  Mr.  Isaacs  as  their 
minister.  The  congregation  in  Elm  street 
have  been  destitute  of  a  stated  pastor  since 
that  time,  but  are  now  expecting  the  services 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Leo. 

Soon  after  the  Jewish  congregation,  now 
in  Elm  street,  took  possession  of  that  build- 
ing, measures  were  taken  for  collecting  a 
third  congregation,  and  a  meeting  was  open- 
ed in  the  Hall  of  the  Dispensary  in  White 
street,  under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  S.  Sam- 
uelson,  and  worship  was  continued  here  for 
several  years.  At  length  a  house  of  worship 
built  by  the  Friends,  on  Henry  street,  being 
offered  for  sale,  it  was  purchased  by  this  con- 
gregation, and  they  removed  there  in  1840. 

The  Rev.  Jonas  Hecht  is  their  present 
minister. 

In  1841  a  fourth  synagogue  was  built  on 
Attorney  street,  near  Rivington,  of  which  the 
Rev.  Joseph  Lewin  is  minister. 

In  the  following  year  of  1842,  a  fifth  syn- 
agogue was  built  in  Attorney  street,  near 
Houston,  of  which  the  Rev.  L.  Heitner  is 
minister.  In  the  early  part  of  1846,  the  two 
congregations  in  Attorney  street,  and  the  one 
in  Henry  street,  elected  as  Chief  Rabbi,  the 


124  JEWS. 

Rev.  Dr.  Lilienthal,  who  was  recently  em- 
ployed in  the  Department  of  Education  in 
the  Russian  government.  He  officiates  at 
each  of  them  in  turn.  The  other  synagogues 
in  the  city  are  independent  bodies. 

Four  other  Jewish  congregations  are  com- 
menced in  this  city, which,  as  yet,  have  erected 
no  buildings,  viz.  in  the  Dispensary  in  White 
street,  where  the  Rev.  S.  Samuelson  offi- 
ciates ;  in  Grand  street,  under  the  minis- 
try of  Rev.  S.  M.  Cohen ;  in  Leonard  street, 
under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  S.  M.  Salin- 
ger ;  and  in  Franklin  street,  under  the  minis- 
try of  the  Rev.  S.  M.  Isaacs.  It  is  understood 
that  this  last  named  congregation  are  about 
erecting  a  building  on  Wooster  street,  near 
Prince  street. 

Each  of  the  synagogues  adopts  some  sig- 
nificant Hebrew  title.  The  following  are  un- 
derstood to  be  their  titles  : — 

Crosby  street — Shf.areth  Israel.     (The  remnant  of  Israel.) 
Elm  street — Benai  Jeshutim.     (Sons  of  Jehurun.) 
Henry  street — dnshi  Chesed.     (The  men  of  benevolence.) 
1st  in  Attorney  street — Shaary  Shomaim.     (The  gates  of 

heaven.) 
2d  in  Attorney  street — Rodof  Shalom.    (The  pursuers  of 

peace.) 

Whi  te  street—  Shaary  Tsadeck.  (The  gates  of  righteousness.) 
Grand  street — Immanuel.     (God  with  us.) 
Leonard  street — Beth  Israel.     (The  house  of  Israel.) 
Franklin  street — The  Franklin  Association. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 
1716. 


About  the  year  1706,  a  very  few  individuals 
from  New  Elngland,  then  living  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  who  were  Presbyterians  in 
sentiment,  were  in  the  practice  of  meeting 
together  in  private  houses  for  social  worship. 
In  the  month  of  January,  1707,  the  Rev. 
Francis  McKemie,  and  the  Rev.  John 
Hampton,  two  Presbyterian  ministers,  who 
had  been  sent  to  America  by  a  respectable 
body  of  dissenters  in  the  city  of  London,  and 
who  had  been  preaching  in  different  parts 
of  Virginia  and  Maryland,  came  to  New 
York,  and  having  made  known  their  cha- 
racter, and  produced  their  credentials,  leave 
was  obtained  for  Mr.  M'Kemie  to  preach  in 
the  Dutch  Church  in  Garden  street,  while 
Mr.  Hampton  went  over  to  Newtown  on 
Long  Island.  But  this  coming  to  the  ears 


126  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

of  Lord  Cornbury,  the  royal  governor,  he 
prohibited  his  preaching  in  that  church. 
However,  Mr.  William  Jackson  invited  him 
into  his  house  at  the  lower  end  of  Pearl 
street,  where  he  preached  to  a  small  audience 
and  baptized  a  child.*  He  then  went  over 
to  Newtown,  where  he  was  arrested  by  the 
sheriff  of  Queen's  county,  by  virtue  of  a 
warrant  from  Lord  Cornbury,  and  thrown 
into  prison.  He  was,  however,  acquitted  on 
trial,  though  the  costs  of  prosecution  were 
most  wickedly  extorted  from  him.f 

These  persecutions  did  not  altogether  dis- 
courage the  few  Presbyterians  in  New  York, 
who  continued  to  meet  together  for  worship 
as  best  they  could,  until  the  year  1716,  when 
they  resolved  to  form  themselves  into  a 
regular  church,  and,  if  possible,  to  obtain  a 
minister.  This  was  accomplished  ;  a  church 
was  organized  and  connected  with  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Philadelphia,  and  the  Rev.  James 
Anderson,  a  native  of  Scotland,  became 
their  minister.  For  about  three  years,  wor- 
ship was  held  in  the  City  Hall,  and  in  1719, 
the  first  Presbyterian  church  building  ever 

*  Miller's  Life  of  Rodgers,  pp.  87—91.        t  Miller. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  127 

erected  in  this  city,  was  put  up.  It  stood  on 
Wall  street,  near  Broadway.  Mr.  Anderson 
remained  pastor  of  the  church  until  the 
summer  of  1726,  when  he  was  dismissed  in 
order  to  take  charge  of  a  church  in  New 
Donegal,  Pa. 

About  four  years  prior  to  the  dismission 
of  Mr.  Anderson,  some  difficulties  having 
arisen  in  the  church,  a  party  drew  off,  and 
formed  a  distinct  society,  holding  worship 
in  a  room  on  William  street,  near  Liberty 
street.  But  no  church  organization  seems 
to  have  been  effected.  This  new  society 
invited  Mr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  who  was 
afterwards  the  celebrated  minister  of  North- 
ampton, then  a  candidate  of  about  19  years 
of  age,  to  preach  to  them,  which  he  did  for 
the  space  of  eight  months,  but  declined  to 
remain  permanently,  and  after  a  while  the 
separate  organization  was  given  up,  and  the 
members  of  it  principally  returned  to  the  old 
church.  Rev.  Ebenezer  Pemberton  was  the 
second  pastor  of  the  church,  and  was  ordain- 
ed for  this  purpose,  in  Boston,  August  4, 
1727.  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Pemberton  con- 
tinued twenty-six  years,  and  was  very  suc- 
cessful, and  the  church  was  much  en- 


128  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 

larged.  After  the  first  visit  of  Mr.  White- 
field  to  America,  in  the  year  1740,  the  con- 
gregation became  so  large  that  it  was  found 
necessary  to  enlarge  the  place  of  worship. 
This  was  done  in  1748.  Two  years  after 
this  it  was  thought  advisable  to  settle  a  col- 
league with  Mr.  Pemberton  to  meet  the 
wants  of  an  increasing  congregation,  and  in 
October,  1750,  the  Rev.  Alexander  Gumming 
was  ordained  as  such.  In  about  three  years 
after  this,  very  serious  dissensions  arose  in 
the  church  respecting  the  psalmody,  and 
some  other  matters,  which  induced  both 
pastors  to  resign  their  charge.  In  October, 
1753,  they  were  both  dismissed,  though  with 
the  most  ample  testimonials  of  Christia-n 
character  and  ministerial  ability. 

Soon  after  this,  a  call  was  presented  to 
the  Rev.  Joseph  Bellamy,  then  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church  in  Bethlem,  Conn., 
which  he  declined.  It  was  repeated,  and 
urged  with  great  zeal,  but  he  still  declined. 
The  church  then  invited  the  Rev.  John 
Rodgers  of  St.  George's  in  Delaware,  to 
become  their  pastor,  and  he  declined ;  and 
they  then  called  the  Rev.  David  McGregor, 
of  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  and  again  received  a 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  129 

negative.  Thus  nearly  two  years  were  con- 
sumed, till  at  length,  in  July,  1755,  they 
called  the  Rev.  David  Bostwick,  then  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  Jamaica,  L.  I. 
After  long  consultations  and  discussions 
respecting  the  difficulties  in  the  church, 
especially  upon  the  subject  of  psalmody, 
Mr.  Bostwick  was  prevailed  upon  to  accept 
the  call,  and  he  took  the  pastoral  charge  of 
the  church  in  the  early  part  of  1756.  The 
settlement  of  Mr.  Bostwick  did  not  entirely 
heal  the  division  in  the  church.  A  few  were 
still  dissatisfied,  particularly  on  the  subject 
of  psalmody,  and  ultimately  withdrew,  and 
formed  what  is  now  the  "  Scotch  Presbyte- 
rian Church"  in  Grand  street.  This  took 
place  in  the  autumn  of  1756.  The  sketch 
of  this  church,  and  those  which  have  sprung 
from  it,  will  be  given  in  its  proper  place. 

In  October,  1762,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Treat 
became  colleague  pastor  of  the  church,  and 
in  November  of  the  next  year,  Mr.  Bost- 
wick was  removed  by  death.  In  the  spring 
of  1764,  the  church  presented  a  call  to  the 
Rev.  John  Murray,  then  recently  from  Ire- 
land, to  become  colleague  pastor  with  Mr. 
Treat,  but  he  declined,  and  was  afterwards 
12 

* 


130  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

settled  in  Newburyport,  Mass.  In  January 
following,  the  church  made  out  a  call  for 
the  Rev.  John  Rodgers,  of  St.  George's,  in 
Delaware,  whom  they  had  called  ten  years 
before.  This  application  was  successful, 
and  Mr.  Rodgers  was  installed  colleague 
pastor  of  the  church,  Sept.  4th,  1765. 

Up  to  this  time  the  congregation  had  had 
but  one  place  of  worship,  but  the  increasing 
numbers,  and  the  gradual  extension  of  the 
city,  led  to  the  belief  that  a  second  place 
of  worship  was  necessary.  Accordingly 
ground  was  obtained  by  a  grant  from  the 
corporation,  on  the  corner  of  Beekman  and 
Nassau  streets,  then  "in  the  fields,"  quite 
"  out  of  town,"  and  here  the  present  "  Brick 
Church  "  was  erected,  and  opened  for  wor- 
ship Jan.  1,  1768.  A  large  congregation 
soon  assembled  here.  The  church  was 
considered  as  one  body  with  that  worship- 
ping in  Wall  street.  They  had  one  board 
of  trustees,  one  eldership,  and  one  minis- 
try. The  war  of  the  Revolution,  which  fol- 
lowed not  long  after  this,  scattered  most  of 
the  congregations  in  New  York.  Wall 
Street  Church  was  converted  into  barracks 
for  the  soldiers,  and  the  Brick  Church  into 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  131 

» 

a  hospital.  The  ministers  left  the  city. 
Mr.  Treat  never  returned,  and  the  pastoral 
relation  between  him  and  the  church  was 
dissolved  Oct.  2,  1785.  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers 
returned  to  his  charge  in  the  fall  of  1783, 
and  delivered  a  sermon  on  that  occasion  in 
St.  George's  Chapel,  in  Beekman  street,  the 
use  of  that  building  and  of  St.  Paul's  hav- 
ing been  generously  offered  to  the  congre- 
gation by  the  vestry  of  Trinity  Church, 
until  their  buildings  should  be  repaired — an 
instance  of  true  liberality  of  feeling,  which, 
it  is  much  to  be  wished,  could  have  con- 
tinued to  this  day.  It  was  at  once  seen 
that,  with  two  places  of  worship,  the  church 
must  be  provided  with  more  than  one  min- 
ister, and  accordingly  Mr.  James  Wilson 
was  called  as  colleague  with  Dr.  Rodgers, 
and  was  ordained  and  installed  as  such, 
Aug.  10,  1785.  Mr.  Wilson  remained  but 
a  little  over  two  years,  and  in  Jan.,  1788, 
was  dismissed  at  his  own  request,  his 
health  requiring,  as  he  supposed,  a  more 
southern  climate,  and  an  opening  then  pre- 
senting for  ministerial  labors  in  Charleston, 
S.  C. 

After  more   than   a  year  spent  in  inef- 


132  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

« 

fectual  attempts  to  obtain  a  colleague  pastor, 
the  Rev.  John  McKnight  was  installed  in  this 
office,  on  Dec.  2, 1789.  The  congregations 
were  constantly  enlarging,  and  the  labors  of 
the  ministers  incessant,  and  on  June  5th, 
1793,  Rev.  Samuel  Miller  was  ordained  and 
installed  collegiate  pastor  with  Drs.  Rodgers 
and  McKnight. 

The  city  was  now  spreading  out,  espe- 
cially in  the  northeastern  section,  and  it  be- 
came apparent  that  a  Presbyterian  church 
was  needed  there.  When  this  fact  began 
to  engage  attention,  Henry  Rutgers,  Esq., 
presented  a  lot  of  ground  to  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church,  lying  on  the  corner  of 
Rutgers  and  Henry  streets,  on  which  it 
was  proposed  to  erect  the  contemplated 
edifice.  This  was  accomplished  during  the 
summer  of  1797,  when  the  "  Rutgers  Street 
Church,"  a  spacious  frame  building,  measur- 
ing eighty-six  feet  by  sixty-four,  was  erected. 
It  was  first  opened  for  worship,  May  13, 
1798. 

Although  the  three  churches  now  gathered 
were  a  collegiate  charge,  yet  it  was  supposed 
the  time  was  not  far  distant  when  each 
should  stand  alone;  and  when  the  Rev. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  133 

Philip  Milledoler,  D.D.,  was  installed  as  a 
colleague  with  Drs.  Rodgers,  McKnight,  and 
Miller,  in  November,  1805,  it  was  with  a 
view  to  taking  the  church  in  Rutgers  street 
under  his  more  particular  care,  and  being 
considered  its  sole  pastor,  when  a  separation 
of  the  churches  should  take  place.*  In  the 
month  of  April,  1809,  the  three  churches 
were  separated  in  an  orderly  manner  by  the 
Presbytery ;  Dr.  Rodgers,  then  bending  un- 
der the  weight  of  years,  continuing  his  pas- 
toral relation  both  to  the  Wall  street  and 
Brick  Churches ;  Dr.  McKnight,  with  the 
consent  of  Presbytery,  resigned  his  charge  ; 
Dr.  Miller  being  collegiate  pastor  of  Wall 
Street  Church  only,  and  Dr.  Milledoler  being 
sole  pastor  of  Rutgers  Street  Church. 

WALL  STREET,   OR    FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH. 

The  origin  and  progress  of  this  church  is 
sketched  above,  down  to  April,  1S09,  Rev. 
Drs.  Rodgers  and  Miller  being  colleague 
pastors.  Dr.  Rodgers  died  May  7,  1811, 
aged  eighty-four.  Dr.  Miller  was  elected  a 
Professor  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at 

*  Rev.  Dr.  Miller. 
12* 


134  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Princeton,  in  the  year  1813,  and  resigned  his 
charge.  The  Rev.  Philip  Melancthon 
Whelpley  succeeded  Dr.  Miller  in  April, 
1815,  and  died  in  the  30th  year  of  his  age, 
July  17,  1824.  For  more  than  a  year  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor.  At  length 
they  called  the  Rev.  William  W.  Phillips, 
who  was  then  pastor  of  the  Pearl  Street 
Church,  and  he  was  installed  pastor  of  the 
Wall  Street  Church,  on  January  19,  1826. 
The  ministry  of  Dr.  Phillips  with  this  church 
still  continues.  The  house  of  worship  in 
Wall  street,  which  was  enlarged  in  1748,  as 
before  stated,  remained  as  then  built  until 
the  year  1810,  when  it  was  rebuilt  on  an  en- 
larged plan,  ninety-seven  feet  long,  and  sixty- 
eight  feet  wide,  with  a  handsome  spire.  This 
building  was  burnt  out  in  1834,  and  rebuilt 
with  the  same  walls  the  following  year.  Thus 
it  stood  until  the  year  1844,  when  it  was 
sold  for  $3,000  to  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Jersey  city,  and  taken  down  and  removed 
to  that  place.  During  the  following  year  a 
new  and  elegant  building,  one  hundred  and 
nineteen  feet  long,  and  eighty  feet  wide,  was 
erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the  church 
and  congregation  in  the  upper  part  of  the 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  135 

city,  on  the  Fifth  avenue,  between  Eleventh 
and  Twelfth  streets,  at  a  cost  of  about  $55,000. 
It  was  opened  for  worship  January  1 1, 1846. 

BRICK    CHURCH. 

After  the  dissolution  of  the  collegiate 
connection,  as  related  above,  the  infirmities 
of  Dr.  Rodgers  led  the  members  of  the 
Brick  Church,  of  which  he  was  then  sole 
pastor,  to  seek  some  farther  ministerial  aid. 
Accordingly,  in  the  month  of  May,  1810, 
they  gave  a  unanimous  call  to  Mr.  Gardiner 
Spring,  who  was  ordained  and  installed 
collegiate  pastor  with  Dr.  Rodgers,  on  the 
8th  of  August  following.  Rev.  Dr.  Spring 
continues  sole  pastor  of  the  Brick  Church, 
now,  with  one  exception,  the  oldest  in  the 
pastoral  relation  of  any  one  in  the  city. 

RUTGERS   STREET    CHURCH. 

Rev.  Dr.  Milledoler,  D.D.,  was  the  first 
pastor  of  this  church,  when  the  collegiate 
relation  was  dissolved  in  April,  1809.  Four 
years  from  that  time,  Dr.  Milledoler  resigned 
the  charge  of  this  church,  and  became  co- 
pastor  of  the  collegiate  Dutch  Church  in 
this  city,  and  subsequently  President  of 


136  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Rutgers  College.  The  church  was  without 
a  pastor  until  October  17,  1815,  when  Mr. 
Alexander  McClelland  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  McClelland  hav- 
ing been  elected  a  professor  in  Dickinson 
college,  was  succeeded  in  the  pastoral  office 
in  Rutgers  Street  Church,  by  Rev.  Thomas 
McAuly,  D.D.,  in  August,  1822,  and  he  by 
the  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  M.  Krebs, 
D.D.,  who  was  installed  November  12,  1830. 
In  1841,  the  present  elegant  house  of  wor- 
ship was  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  one, 
which  was  then  taken  down.  It  was  opened 
April  21,  1842. 

DUANE  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1808,  it  was  thought  expedient 
to  attempt  the  establishment  of  a  new 
Presbyterian  church  in  New  York,  uncon- 
nected with  the  three  collegiate  churches 
then  in  the  city  ;  and  on  November  9  of  that 
year,  a  church  of  twenty-eight  members  was 
organized,  who  occupied  a  house  of  wor- 
ship which  had  been  erected  in  the  year 
preceding,  situated  on  Cedar  street,  between 
William  and  Nassau  streets.  On  the  day 
of  the  organization  of  the  church,  the  Rev. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  137 

John  B.  Romeyn,  D.D.,  was  installed  its 
pastor.  This  church,  from  its  location,  was 
called  the  "  Cedar  Street  Church."  Here  a 
large  congregation  was  gathered,  and  Dr. 
Romeyn  continued  his  labors  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  February  22,  1825,  in  the 
forty -eighth  year  of  his  age.  After  a  vacancy 
of  nearly  two  years,  during  which  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Payson,  of  Portland,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Sprague  of  Albany,  were  both  called  and 
declined,  the  Rev.  Cyrus  Mason  was 
ordained  pastor  in  December,  1826.  Dr. 
Mason  resigned  his  charge  in  June,  1835, 
and  is  now  a  professor  in  the  University  of 
New  York.  During  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Mason  it  was  thought  expedient  to  remove 
the  place  of  worship,  inasmuch  as  the 
vicinity  of  the  church-building  was  crowded 
with  stores  and  warehouses,  and  the  families 
had  nearly  all  removed.  It  was  sold  with  the 
lots  for  about  $75,000,  and  taken  down  in 
1834.  The  congregation  were  temporarily 
accommodated  in  the  lecture  room  of  the 
Brick  Church,  near  the  Park  ;  and  in  1835, 
an  elegant  house  of  worship  was  built  on 
Duane  street,  corner  of  Church  street,  at  a 
cost  of  about  $40,000,  exclusive  of  the  lot 


138  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

on  which  it  stands.  To  this  building  the 
congregation  removed  on  the  first  Sabbath 
in  January,  1836,  and  the  name  of  the 
church  was  changed  from  Cedar  Street  to 
"  Duane  Street  Church."  In  May  of  that 
year,  the  Rev.  George  Potts  was  installed 
pastor  of  the  church.  The  congregation 
was  soon  considerably  enlarged,  and  after  a 
few  years  of  successful  ministry,  it  was 
suggested  that  inasmuch  as  many  of  the 
congregation  had  removed  into  the  upper 
part  of  the  city,  a  new  church  might  be 
formed  by  those  living  at  a  distance  from 
Duane  street,  and  their  places  supplied  by 
others  residing  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city, 
and  thus  the  cause  of  evangelical  truth 
would  be  promoted.  To  accomplish  this 
Dr.  Potts  resigned  the  charge  of  Duane 
Street  Church,  in  April,  1844,  and  shortly 
after  commenced  preaching  in  the  chapel  of 
the  New  York  University,  thus  laying  a 
foundation  for  a  congregation,  while  a  house 
of  worship  was  building.  He  was  succeeded 
in  Duane  Street  Church  by  the  Rev.  James 
W.  Alexander,  D.D.,  who  was  installed  in 
October,  1844,  and  is  the  present  minister. 
The  prospects  of  the  congregation  are  very 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  139 

encouraging,  their  large  house  of  worship  is 
well  filled  on  the  Sabbath,  and  four  hundred 
and  forty-four  members  in  communion  were 
reported  in  May  last. 

CHURCH  ON  UNIVERSITY  PLACE. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of  1845, 
an  elegant  building  was  erected  on  Univer- 
sity place,  corner  of  Tenth  street,  at  a  cost  of 
$56,000  dollars,  and  was  opened  for  public 
worship  in  June,  1845.  To  this  building  the 
congregation  repaired  which  had  been  gath- 
ered by  the  labors  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Potts,  in 
the  Chapel  of  the  New  York  University, 
after  his  dismission  from  Duane  street.  On 
the  evening  of  October  26th,  1845,  a  church 
was  organized  here  by  a  Committee  of  the 
Presbytery  of  New  York,  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty-eight  members,  about 
eighty  of  whom  were  dismissed  for  that  pur- 
pose from  the  Duane  Street  Church,  and  on 
the  26th  of  November  following,  Dr.  Potts 
was  installed  pastor. 


140  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

CANAL  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  in  the  year  1809. 
The  church  edifice  was  first  located  in 
Orange  street,  near  Grand  street,  on  the  spot 
now  occupied  by  one  of  the  public  school- 
houses.  The  corner-stone  of  the  building 
was  laid  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers.  It  was 
commonly  called  the  "  Irish  Presbyterian 
Church"  from  the  fact  that  the  original 
members  were  principally  Irish  Presbyteri- 
ans. The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  John  McNeice,  who  held  the  pastoral 
office  until  the  year  1815,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Henry  Blatchford,  who 
remained  in  the  pastoral  office  four  years. 
He  resigned  the  charge  in  November,  1818, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  John  Albur- 
tis.  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Alburtis  continued 
but  two  years,  being  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
Robert  McCartee,  D.D.,  in  April,  1822. 
During  the  ministry  of  Dr.  McCartee,  the 
circumstances  of  the  church  were  greatly 
improved.  The  location  of  their  house  of 
worship  was  very  unfavorable,  and  the  build- 
ing, though  not  old,  had  been  slightly  built, 
and  was  going  to  decay.  The  congregation 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  141 

resolved  to  remove,  and  having  disposed  of 
their  old  building,  they  erected  a  large  and 
substantial  one  of  brick,  on  the  corner  of 
Green  and  Canal  streets,  to  which  they  re- 
paired in  the  year  1825,  and  the  church  from 
that  time  has  been  known  as  the  "  Canal 
Street  Church."  A  large  congregation  soon 
assembled  here;  the  labors  of  Dr.  McCar- 
tee  were  greatly  blessed,  so  that  at  one  time 
the  church  numbered  seven  hundred  com- 
municants. In  1836  Dr.  McCartee  resigned 
his  charge,  and  subsequently  became  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Goshen, 
Orange  county.  :  « 

In  the  following  year,  the  Rev.  John  An- 
derson became  pastor  of  the  Canal  Street 
Church,  but  his  ministry  was  terminated  by 
his  resignation,  in  1839.  In  1840,  Rev. 
Richard  W.  Dickinson,  formerly  of  Lan- 
caster, Pennsylvania,  and  more  recently 
pastor  of  the  Bowery  Church,  was  installed 
pastor ;  in  which  office  he  remained  about 
four  years,  when  he  also  resigned  the  charge 
of  the  church.  After  several  ineffectual 
attempts  to  secure  a  pastor,  Mr.  Hugh  Smith 
Carpenter  accepted  the  call  of  the  congre- 
gation, and  was  ordained,  and  installed 
13 


142  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

pastor  of  the  church,  in  October,  1845. 
Thus  in  the  space  of  thirty-six  years,  the 
Canal  Street  Church  has  had  seven  pastors, 
not  one  of  whom  has  died  with  them. 

LAIGHT  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1810,  a  house  of  wor- 
ship was  commenced  in  Spring  street,  near 
Varick  street.  The  venerable  Dr.  Rodgers, 
then  in  his  eighty-third  year,  was  present,  and 
offered  a  short  prayer,  which  is  believed  to 
have  been  his  last  public  service.  In  April, 
1811,  a  church  was  organized  here,  and  the 
Rev.  Matthew  La  Rue  Perrine  was  installed 
its  pastor  in  October  of  that  year.  Dr.  Perrine 
continued  in  the  pastoral  office  nearly  nine 
years  ;  being  dismissed  at  his  own  request  in 
July,  1820.  He  was  subsequently  appointed 
a  professor  in  the  Auburn  Theological  Semi- 
nary. Rev.  Samuel  H.  Cox  succeeded  Dr. 
Perrine,  being  installed  pastor,  Dec.  25, 1820. 
In  1825,  the  congregation  erected  a  new 
house  of  worship  on  the  corner  of  Laight 
street  and  Varick  street,  fronting  on  St.  John's 
park,  to  which  they  removed  in  that  year, 
changing  their  name  from  the  Spring  Street 
to  the  "  Laight  Street  Church."  Ten  years 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  143 

after  this,  Dr.  Cox  was  elected  professor  of 
Sacred  Rhetoric  and  Pastoral  Theology  in 
the  Theological  Seminary  at  Auburn  ;  and, 

on  Oct.  22,  1835,  the  Rev.  Flavel  S.  Mines 

• 

was  installed  as  his  successor  in  Laight  street. 
Mr.  Mines  resigned  the  charge  of  this  church 
in  Oct.,  1840.  At  this  time  the  people  were 
very  much  disheartened ;  heavy  debts  were 
pressing  on  them,  and  they  had  been  borne 
down  by  trials  of  various  kinds.  About  this 
time  a  difficulty  occurred  in  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  in  Franklin  street,  when  a 
large  number  of  members  withdrew,  and  had 
established  a  separate  meeting  in  a  hall  on 
Broadway,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
James  Harkness,  who  had  preached  in 
Franklin  street  for  a  year  or  more  previous, 
and  it  was  in  prospect  to  organize  a  Presby- 
terian Church,  of  which  Mr.  Harkness  should 
be  pastor.  It  was  suggested  that  a  union 
might  be  effected  between  this  branch  of  the 
Dutch  Church  and  the  Laight  Street  Church, 
to  the  advantage  of  both.  After  some  nego- 
tiation, this  was  effected,  and  on  Dec.  29, 
1840,  Mr.  Harkness  was  installed  pastor  of 
the  Laight  Street  Church.  But  pecuniary 
difficulties  still  pressed  hard  upon  the  con- 


144  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

gregation,  and  in  December,  1842,  Mr.  Hark- 
ness  resigned  his  pastorship  in  the  Laight 
Street  Church,  and  accepted  a  call  to  the 
church  in  Matteawan,  near  Fishkill  landing  I 
and  the  congregation  sold  their  house  to  a 
Baptist  Church,  then  newly  constituted  by  a 
colony  from  the  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church 
in  Mulberry  street.  On  October  10,  1843, 
the  Laight  Street  Church  was  dissolved  by 
Presbytery. 

ELIZABETH  STREET  CHURCH 

A  little  previous  to  the  year  1811,  a  reli- 
gious meeting  under  a  Congregational  or  In- 
dependent form,  was  established  in  Elizabeth 
street,  connected  with  the  "  West  Chester 
Association."  In  the  month  of  April,  in  the 
year  1811,  this  body  was  re-organized  as  a 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  received  to  the 
Presbytery  of  New  York :  thirty-seven  com- 
municants were  at  that  time  enrolled.  The 
Rev.  Henry  P.  Strong  was  installed  pas- 
tor of  this  church,  September  4th,  in  the 
same  year.  But  the  church  was  always  fee- 
ble, and  the  congregation  small,  and  in  less 
than  two  years  Mr.  Strong  resigned  his 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  145 

charge,  and  in  October,  1813,  the  church  was 
regularly  dissolved  by  Presbytery. 

CITY  MISSIONARY  OPERATIONS. 

For  several  years  following  the  year  1816, 
there  were  in  operation  in  this  city  three  so- 
cieties, having  for  their  object  the  advance- 
ment of  religion  among  the  more  destitute 
population  of  the  city,  as  well  as  missionary 
operations  in  the  country.  These  were  the 
"  Young  Men's  Missionary  Society,"  "  The 
New  York  Evangelical  Society  of  Young 
Men,"  and  "  The  Female  Missionary  Society 
for  the  Poor."  The  first  of  these  societies 
had,  as  missionaries  in  the  city,  at  different 
times,  Messrs.  W.  W.  Phillips,  John  E.  Mil- 
ler, Robert  Steel,  and  Abraham  O.  Stanbury  ; 
the  second  employed  Messrs.  Samuel  C. 
Aiken,  Elihu  W.  Baldwin,  Samuel  E.  Cor- 
nish, Samuel  H.  Cox,  and  Matthias  Bruen  ; 
while  Messrs.  Ward  Stafford  and  Samuel  J. 
Mills  labored  for  the  third  society.  There 
was  a  rivalry  between  some  of  these  societies, 
and  occasionally  they  came  in  each  other's 
way,  as  they  were  laboring  on  very  nearly 
the  same  ground.  We  state  the  fact  merely 
for  historical  accuracy,  and  there  leave  it,  as 
13* 


146  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

the  tales  of  former  times.  The  labors  of 
these  missionaries  were  blest,  and  have  result- 
ed in  the  gathering  of  five  churches,  viz.  the 
Seventh  Presbyterian,  in  Broome  St.,  where 
Mr.  Baldwin  became  pastor ;  the  Allen  Street 
Church,  afterwards  supplied  by  Mr.  Gray; 
the  Bowery  Church,  where  Mr.  Stafford  be- 
came pastor;  the  colored  Presbyterian  Church, 
where  Mr.  Cornish  became  pastor,  and  the 
Bleecker  Street  Church,  where  Mr.  Bruen 
became  pastor.  The  exertions  of  these  mis- 
sionaries were  directed  mainly  to  the  north- 
eastern section  of  the  city,  stretching  from 
Peck  Slip  to  the  Dry  Dock.  There  were,  at 
that  time,  four  little  villages  or  clusters  of 
houses  within  these  limits,  known  as  "  Cor- 
laer's  Hook,"  "  Grand  Street  Market,"  "  Stag- 
town,"  and  "  Manhattan  Island,"  the  latter  be- 
ing about  half  a  mile  to  the  north  of  Cor- 
laer's  Hook,  and  approached  by  a  bridge, 
rendered  necessary  at  high  water.*  In  all 
these  places  stated  services  were  held,  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  at  other  times,  as  rooms  could 
be  procured.  In  the  summer  of  1818,  the 
building,  known  as  the  "  Mission  House," 
was  erected  on  Broome  street,  between  Lewis 

*  Hatfield's  Life  of  Baldwin,  page  183. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  147 

and  Cannon  streets,  and  opened  for  worship 
on  October  14th,  of  that  year.  The  Seventh 
Presbyterian  Church  had  very  recently  been 
formed,  and  were  locating  themselves  in  the 
same  neighborhood,  and  it  was  soon  thought 
best  to  dispose  of  the  Mission  House.  It 
was  accordingly  leased  during  the  next  year, 
and  afterwards  sold  to  a  society  of  Metho- 
dists, who  had  recently  been  gathered  in  a 
school-room  in  Broome  street,  then  just  va- 
cated by  Mr.  Baldwin's  congregation,  and 
who  afterwards  became  the  "  Willet  Street 
Methodist  Church."  This  took  place  in  May, 
1819,  and  the  Mission  House  continued  to 
be  occupied  by  the  Methodists  for  six  years, 
when  it  formed  the  place  of  gathering  of  the 
Cannon  Street  Baptist  Church,  by  whom  it 
was  occupied  until  the  spring  of  1841,  when 
it  was  converted  into  dwelling-houses.* 
From  this  time  the  sketch  of  the  several 
churches,  gathered  by  these  missionary  ope- 
rations, will  best  exhibit  them.  The  first  of 
these  was  the 

*  Hatfield's  Life  of  Baldwin,  pages  227-228. 


148  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

SEVENTH  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCFI. 

The  Rev.  Elihu  W.  Baldwin  commenced 
his  labors  in  New  Vork  as  a  city  missionary 
in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1816.  He  labored, 
as  has  already  been  stated,  mainly  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Corlaer's  Hook,  the  Grand 
street  market,  Stag  Town,  and  Manhattan 
Island,  preaching  the  gospel  from  house  to 
house,  and  gathering  the  people  together  in 
little  assemblies,  as  opportunity  offered. 
These  means,  humble  as  they  seemed,  re- 
ceived the  blessing  of  God.  There  was  an 
evident  desire  by  many  to  hear  the  Word, 
and  several  hopeful  conversions  occurred. 
In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1818,  the  ques- 
tion of  the  formation  of  a  church  was  referred 
to  a  Committee  of  the  Missionary  Board, 
tinder  whose  patronage  Mr.  Baldwin  was 
laboring,  who  reported  favorably,  and  a 
church  was  organized.  The  organization 
took  place  March  27th,  1818,  in  a  private 
room  in  a  house  in  Grand  street,  near  Lewis 
street,  then  occupied  by  the  family  of  Mr. 
William  Badeau.  Rev.  Mr.  Stafford  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Perrine  assisted  Mr.  Baldwin  on 
this  occasion.  Eleven  individuals  were  en- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  149 

rolled  at  that  time ;  eight  dismissed  for  this 
purpose  from  the  Rutgers  Street  Church,  one 
from  Laight  Street  Church, — then  called 
Spring  Street  Church,  one  from  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Catskill,  and  one  from  the 
Congregational  Church  in  New  London. 
Five  of  them  were  from  one  family,  and  but 
four  were  males.  The  church  having  been 
thus  organized,  nine  others,  all  females  but 
one,  were  added  on  profession  of  their  faith. 
Not  one  of  the  members  brought  to  the  en- 
terprise either  wealth  or  extensive  influence. 
It  was  truly  with  them  the  day  of  small 
things.*  In  the  course  of  a  few  months 
arrangements  were  made  for  the  erection  of 
a  house  of  worship.  It  stood  on  Sheriff 
street,  between  Broome  and  Delancy  streets. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the  10th  of 
August,  and  the  house  was  opened  for  wor- 
ship on  the  18th  of  June  of  the  following 
year. 

On  December  25th,  1820,  Mr.  Baldwin 
was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church.  The 
activity  and  devout  earnestness  of  Mr.  Bald- 
win received  signal  blessing,  and  in  a  few 
years  it  was  discovered  that  their  house  of 
*  Memoir  of  Baldwin,  page  200. 


150  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

worship  would  not  accommodate  the  multi- 
tudes who  were  thronging  around  him  to 
hear  the  gospel  from  his  lips.  The  house 
was  accordingly  sold  to  the  Roman  Catholics, 
and  a  larger  one  erected  on  the  corner  of 
Broome  and  Ridge  streets.  This  building 
was  finished,  and  opened  for  public  worship, 
May  6th,  1827.  It  was  a  substantial  brick 
building,  80  feet  by  64, — more  than  twice  as 
large  as  the  former  house.  This  building 
was  burnt  on  the  night  of  February  26th, 
1831,  and  the  20th  of  November  following 
found  the  congregation  in  a  new  house  of 
worship,  erected  on  the  same  spot.  The 
labors  of  Mr.  Baldwin  were  not  only  abun- 
dant, but  always  judicious  and  acceptable, 
and  scarce  any  man  has  ever  labored  in  New 
York  with  more  permanent  success.  880 
persons  were  gathered  into  the  church 
during  his  ministry,  539  of  whom  were  on 
profession;  and  when  he  resigned  his  charge, 
in  the  early  part  of  1835,  in  order  to  accept 
the  Presidency  of  Wabash  College,  Indiana, 
it  was  with  the  most  sincere  regret  that  his 
people  parted  with  him.  Mr.  Baldwin  was 
succeeded  in  the  ministry  by  the  Rev.  Edwin 
F.  Hatfield,  the  present  pastor  of  the  church, 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  151 

who  entered  on  his  labors  as  soon  as  Mr. 
Baldwin  left.  This  church  continues  to  be 
one  of  the  most  flourishing  in  the  city.  The 
ministry  of  Mr.  Hatfield  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful ;  several  seasons  of  marked  revival 
have  been  enjoyed  ;  many  have  been  gather- 
ed into  the  church  ;  and,  while  they  have  dis- 
missed several  colonies  to  aid  in  the  forma- 
tion of  other  churches  around  them,  they 
have  more  than  one  thousand  members  in 
communion  still  on  their  roll. 

ALLEN  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  was  the  second  church  which  arose 
from  the  city  missionary  operations.  It  was 
in  the  summer  of  1816,  that  the  Rev.  Ward 
^  ^tafford  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  J.  Mills  ex- 
plored a  large,  and  at  that  time  a  very  forbid- 
•ding  district  of  the  city,  having  for  its  centre 
the  corner  of  Catharine  and  Madison  streets, 
then  called  k'  Bancker  street."  These  labors 
were  blessed :  a  small  congregation  was 
gathered,  and  a  house  of  worship  was  erected 
on  Bancker  street  soon  after.  On  May  28th, 
1819,  a  church  of  twenty -five  members  was 
organized  here,  and  the  Rev.  William  Grey 


152  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

supplied  it  as  a  city  missionary.  In  1823, 
the  building  in  Bancker  street  was  taken 
down  and  removed  to  Allen  street,  and  since 
that,  in  1832,  the  present  brick  building  has 
been  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $16,000.  Mr.  Gray 
continued  to  supply  the  Allen  Street  Church 
from  its  formation,  in  1819,  to  the  year  1827. 
Two  years  after  this  the  church  ceased  to  be 
a  "  Mission  Church,"  and  assumed  the  re- 
sponsibility of  calling  their  own  pastor. 
Since  that  time  this  church  has  had  for 
pastors,  viz. : 

Hev.  Henry  White,  D.D.,  installed  in  May,  1829,  and 
dismissed  to  accept  the  Professorship  of  Theology  in 
the  New  York  Union  Theological  Seminary,  May 
9th,  1837. 

Rev.  William  Bradley,  installed  December  3d,  1837,  and 
dismissed  April  3d,  1839. 

Rev.  George  B.  Cheever,  D.D.,  installed  October  10th, 
1839,  and  dismissed  April  24th,  1844 ;  and 

Rev.  David  B.  Coe,  the  present  pastor,  who  was  in-- 
stalled  October  14th,  1844. 

COLORED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

This  was  the  third  of  the  Mission  churches, 
and  was  organized  January  13th,  1822,  with 
twenty-four  members.  Mr.  Samuel  E.  Cor- 
nish, a  colored  preacher,  had  commenced  his 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  153 

labors  with  the  colored  population  in  the 
city,  in  the  autumn  of  the  previous  year,  and 
occupied  a  small  house  of  worship  on  Rose 
street.  The  church  was  taken  under  the 
care  of  the  presbytery  of  New  York,  and  Mr. 
Cornish  became  its  pastor.  Encouraged  by 
many  around  them,  an  effort  was  made  by 
this  church  to  erect  a  house  of  worship,  and 
in  1824,  a  brick  building,  62  feet  long  and 
50  wide,  was  erected  on  Elm  street  near 
Canal  street,  at  a  cost  of  about  $14,000. 
But  little  of  the  money  was  actually  paid,  and 
the  congregation  soon  found  themselves 
with  an  incurnbrance  which  they  could  not 
bear,  and  they  relinquished  the  house  within 
a  year,  which  was  sold  under  foreclosure  of 
mortgage,  and  is  now  the  Jewish  Synagogue, 
"  Benai  Jeshurun." 

The  church  retired  to  a  room  in  Sullivan 
street,  where  they  continued  for  two  or  three 
years,  aided  by  Mr.  Cornish,  and  other  sup- 
plies. But  Mr.  Cornish's  health  failing,  he 
was  dismissed  in  April,  1828. 

In  September  following,  Mr.  Theodore  S. 
Wright,  a  licentiate,  educated  at  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Princeton,  commenced 
his  labors  with  this  church,  and  in  March, 
14 


154  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

1829,  he  was  ordained  by  the  presbytery  of 
Albany,  to  which  he  then  belonged.  A  large 
school-room  was  obtained  near  the  junction 
of  Duane  and  Hudson  streets,  and  in  this 
place  the  church  continued  for  nearly  three 
years.  In  the  year  1831,  the  congregation 
purchased  the  old  German  Lutheran  Church 
building,  formerly  known  as  the  "  Swamp 
Church,"  situated  at  the  corner  of  Frankfort 
and  William  streets,  for  the  sum  of  $13,000, 
and  here  they  have  remained.  Rev.  Mr. 
Wright  is  still  pastor  of  the  church  ;  his 
labors  have  been  much  blest ;  several  very 
interesting  revivals  of  religion  have  taken 
place,  and  more  than  four  hundred  members 
are  now  enrolled  in  communion. 

BOWERY  CHURCH. 

The  fourth  Mission  Church  was  located 
at  the  Bowery,  and  arose  chiefly  through  the 
labors  of  the  Rev.  Ward  Stafford,  who  was 
employed  as  a  missionary  in  the  city  for 
several  years.  The  building  known  as  the 
"Bowery  Church,"  was  completed  in  the 
year  1822,  and  on  April  17th  of  that  year, 
a  church  was  there  organized  by  the  presby- 
tery of  New  York,  consisting  of  sixteen 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  155 

members,  and  in  October  of  the  next  year, 
Mr.  Stafford  was  installed  its  pastor.  The 
Bowery  Church  being  but  a  feeble  band, 
Mr.  Stafford  was  sustained  in  part  by  the 
City  Mission  Society,  for  a  few  years.  la 
the  spring  of  1827,  some  serious  difficulties 
occurred  in  the  Bowery  Church,  and  in  the 
following  year,  Mr.  Stafford  resigned  his 
charge.  In  February,  1827,  the  church  in- 
vited the  Rev.  Joel  Hawes,  of  Hartford,  to 
become  their  pastor,  but  he  declined.  In 
October  of  the  same  year  the  Rev.  Joseph 
S.  Christmas  was  installed  pastor.  Mr. 
Christmas  was  a  young  man  of  great  pro- 
mise, and  the  church  and  people  were  high 
in  their  hopes ;  but  these  hopes  were  soon 
blasted  by  the  sudden  death  of  their  minis- 
ter, in  less  than  five  months.  He  died  March 
7th,  1830,  aged  27. 

The  next  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  John  Woodbridge,  D.D.,  formerly  of 
Hadley,  Massachusetts,  who  was  installed 
October  1,  1830,  and  dismissed  at  his  own 
request  February  29,  1836.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Richard  "W.  Dickinson, 
formerly  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  who  was  installed 
November  2, 1836,  but  resigned  the  charge 
in  April  following.  • 


156  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

At  this  time  the  congregation  had  become 
much  disheartened,  for  although  a  consider- 
able assembly  attended  public  worship,  and 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  members  were 
enrolled  in  the  church,  yet  a  heavy  load  of 
debt  lay  upon  the  building,  which  they  saw 
little  prospect  of  discharging  without  great 
personal  sacrifices,  and  after  struggling  for  a 
while,  the  building  was  sold  and  the  church 
disbanded. 

BLEECKER  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  was  the  fifth  church  which  was  es- 
tablished in  a  great  measure  through  mis- 
sionary labors.  The  first  city  missionaries, 
from  the  year  1816,  and  onward,  bestowed 
some  labor  on  the  then  scattered  population 
in  the  upper  end  of  Elizabeth,  Mott,  and  Mul- 
berry streets,  and  after  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Baldwin  in  Broome  street,  and  Mr.  Stafford 
at  the  Bowery,  a  city  mission  was  established 
by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  in  the  spring 
of  the  year  1823,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Nott, 
jun.,  and  the  Rev.  William  S.  Heyer,  were 
employed  as  missionaries.  Mr.  Heyer  soon 
left,  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  Mr.  Nott 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  157 

remained  alone.  He  had  a  preaching  station, 
at  what  was  then  called  "  Bowery  Hill,"  near 
what  is  now  "  Union  Square."  He  after- 
wards removed  to  a  room  in  Elizabeth  street, 
near  Bleecker.  He  was  succeeded  in  his 
missionary  work  by  the  Rev.  Matthias  Bruen, 
who  labored  gratuitously  for  several  years. 

In  April,  1825,  a  church  of  a  few  mem- 
bers, was  organized  by  Mr.  Bruen,  and  at- 
tached to  the  presbytery  of  New  York,  and 
in  June  following  he  was  installed  its  pas- 
tor. In  the  year  1826,  a  handsome  stone 
edifice  was  completed  on  Bleecker  street, 
near  Broadway,  the  corner-stone  of  which 
had  been  laid  April  26,  1825,  and  to  this, 
the  church  removed. 

The  life  of  Mr.  Bruen  was  short.  He 
died  much  lamented,  SepL  6,  1829.  After 
calling  and  receiving  a  negative  answer  from 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  then  of  Boston,  the 
Rev.  Erskine  Mason  succeeded  Mr.  Bruen, 
being  installed  Sept.  10, 1830.  A  large  and 
intelligent  congregation  is  now  gathered  at 
Bleecker  street.  The  house  of  worship  has 
been  enlarged  and  repaired  in  far  better  style 
than  before,  and  a  church  of  nearly  four 
14* 


158  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

hundred     members     collected.      Rev.    Dr. 
Mason  continues  pastor  of  the  church. 

Such  is  the  result  of  the  city  missionary 
operations,  which  were  commenced  in  1816. 
One  of  the  churches  formed  has  ceased  to 
exist,  but  four  of  them  are  living  and  flour- 
ishing, and  embody  at  the  present  time,  more 
than  two  thousand  three  hundred  members. 

THE  EIGHTH  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  year  1819, 
there  were  seven  Presbyterian  churches  in 
this  city,  viz.,  Wall  Street,  Brick  Church, 
Rutgers  Street,  Cedar  Street,  now  Duane 
Street,  Canal  Street,  Laight  Street,  and  the 
seventh  church  in  Broome  street,  near  the 
East  River.  The  Scotch  Church,  now  in 
Grand  street,  the  Pearl  Street  Church,  and 
the  Murray  Street  Church,  were  also  in 
operation ;  but  being  at  that  time  in  another 
ecclesiastical  connection,  they  were  not 
reckoned ;  and  hence  the  new  church,  next 
formed,  was  numbered  the  eighth.  This 
church  originated  in  a  division  which  took 
place  in  the  summer  of  1819,  in  the  Reform- 
ed Dutch  Church  in  "  Greenwich  village," 
as  it  was  then  called,  of  which,  at  that  time, 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  159 

the  Rev.  Stephen  N.  Rowan  was  pastor.  In 
consequence  of  this,  Mr.  Rowan  resigned 
the  pastoral  office  in  the  Dutch  Church.  On 
the  26th  of  August,  1819,  a  meeting  for  con- 
sultation was  held  in  the  "  Free  School 
Room"  corner  of  Hudson  and  Christopher 
streets,  attended  by  fourteen  men.  Ar- 
rangements were  made  for  the  orderly  forma- 
tion of  a  Presbyterian  Church,  and  for  the 
establishment  of  public  worship.  The  first 
meeting  for  worship  was  attended  in  a  room 
in  the  "  Eagle  Factory,"  on  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, August  29th,  when  the  Rev.  Alexander 
McClelland,  then  the  pastor  of  Rutgers  Street 
Church,  officiated.  The  church  was  duly 
organized  on  the  9th  of  September  follow- 
ing, Rev.  Dr.  McClelland  presiding ;  thirty- 
five  male  members  were  enrolled,  and  short- 
ly after  twenty-six  more,  mostly  females, 
were  admitted  on  certificate,  nearly  the 
whole  having  been  members  in  the  Reform- 
ed Dutch  Church.  On  the  llth  of  October 
following,  a  call  was  given  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Rowan  to  become  pastor  of  the  church, 
which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed  ac- 
cordingly. 

About  two   years  after  this,  a  house  of 


160  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

worship  was  erected  on  Christopher  street. 
In  the  summer  of  1828,  Dr.  Rowan  was 
appointed  an  agent  for  the  Society  for 
Meliorating  the  Condition  of  the  Jews,  and 
his  congregation  consented  to  release  him 
for  twelve  months.  During  this  time  the 
pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  David  S.  Bo- 
gert,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Mason,  and  Rev.  Sam- 
uel A.  Burnstead.  Dr.  Rowan  returned  and 
resumed  his  ministry  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
but  in  May,  1830,  he  resigned  his  charge, 
having  accepted  the  office  of  general  agent 
of  the  society  for  whom  he  had  labored, 
with  a  view  to  permanency.  Soon  after  the 
dismission  of  Dr.  Rowan,  the  Rev.  Denny 
Ray  Thorn ason,  from  England,  was  engaged 
as  a  stated  supply,  and  in  December  follow- 
ing, rather  informally,  elected  pastor,  but  in 
April,  1831,  he  was  released  at  his  own  re- 
quest ;  and  in  June  of  that  year,  a  call  was 
given  to  -the  Rev,  Henry  Hunter,  who  was 
installed  pastor  on  the  29th  of  that  month. 

Mr.  Hunter  continued  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  the  ministry  usefully,  and  very 
acceptably,  until  his  death,  which  took  place 
suddenly,  August  27,  1834.  In  March,  of 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  161 

the  following  year,  a  call  was  given  to  the 
Rev.  William  Chester,  which  he  declined. 

In  July  following,  a  unanimous  call  was 
made  out  for  the  Rev.  Edward  Dunlap 
Smith,  and  he  was  installed  pastor  of  this 
church  on  the  fourteenth  of  the  same  month. 

In  the  space  of  a  few  years,  while  the 
affairs  of  the  church  were  going  on  with 
ordinary  prosperity,  pecuniary  difficulties 
began  to  press  very  hard  upon  the  congrega- 
tion. Their  house  of  worship  had  never 
been  paid  for,  and  a  great  debt  was  con- 
suming them.  Thus  they  struggled  on  till 
the  close  of  the  year  1841,  when  an  oppor- 
tunity presenting,  the  house  of  worship  was 
sold  to  the  free  Episcopal  Church,  styled 
"  St.  Matthew's,"  for  about  $14,000.  The 
embarrassments  of  the  congregation  were 
thus  relieved,  and  they  retired  to  the  Chapel 
of  the  New  York  University.  Here  the 
church  continued  to  meet  for  about  a  year, 
when,  in  October,  1842,  Mr.  Smith  resigned 
his  charge.  The  church  continued  to  meet 
together  for  about  a  month  longer,  when 
they  resolved  to  disband,  many  of  the  num- 
ber expecting  to  unite  with  a  new  church 
then  gathering  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
city. 


162  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

CHELSEA  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

As  the  population  had  increased,  and  was 
fast  increasing  in  the  upper  section  of  the 
city,  on  the  North  River  side,  it  was  judged 
important  to  provide  the  means  of  grace 
there  in  greater  abundance,  and  several 
members  of  Presbyterian  churches  living  at 
Chelsea,  as  it  is  called,  established  a  prayer- 
meeting  in  the  spring  of  1842.  During 
that  summer,  arrangements  were  made, 
principally  through  the  liberality  of  an  in- 
dividual, to  erect  a  house  of  worship,  and  in 
the  summer  of  1843,  a  substantial  brick 
building  was  finished  on  Twenty-second 
street,  near  the  Ninth  avenue,  on  what  is 
termed  "  Lennox  Place."  On  October  22, 
1843,  soon  after  the  house  of  worship  was 
opened,  a  church  of  sixty-five  members  was 
organized  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York, 
a  large  portion  of  whom  had  been  members 
of  the  "  Eighth  Presbyterian  Church,"  which, 
as  related  above,  having  no  pastor,  and  no 
house  of  worship,  and  being  in  a  broken 
state,  had  judged  it  expedient  to  scatter  into 
other  churches. 

In  November  following,  the  Rev.  Edward 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  163 

D.  Smith,  who  had  been  the  last  pastor  of 
the  Eighth  Church,  was  installed  pastor  of 
the  "  Chelsea  Church,"  where  he  now  re- 
mains. The  church  and  congregation  are 
in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  present 
number  of  communicants  is  about  one  hun- 
dred. 

VANDEWATER  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  which  once  ex- 
isted in  Vandewater  street,  was  originally  or- 
ganized as  an  independent  or  Congrega- 
tional Church,  and  was  under  the  ministry 
of  the  Rev.  J.  S.  C.  F.  Frey,  a  converted 
Jew.  On  the  12th  of  December,  1820,  Mr. 
Frey  and  his  congregation  applied  to  the 
Presbytery  of  New  York  to  be  received  under 
its  care,  as  a  Presbyterian  Church,  which 
union  was  effected  in  October  of  the  follow- 
ing year.  At  that  time  the  church  contained 
96  members ;  but  difficulties  existed  between 
them,  and  in  September,  1822,  Mr.  Frey  re- 
signed his  charge,  and  shortly  after  the 
church  withdrew  from  the  Presbytery,  and 
stood,  for  a  time,  independently.  During 
this  time  their  pulpit  was  supplied  by  several 
persons, — principally  by  the  Rev.  Hooper 


164  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Gumming,  though  they  do  not  appear  to 
have  had  any  staled  pastor.  Towards  the 
close  of  the  year  1825,  Mr.  Thomas  E. 
Vermilye,  a  licentiate,  was  engaged  as  a 
supply,  and  the  people  were  desirous  of  re- 
taining him  as  pastor,  and,  to  effect  this  in 
an  orderly  manner,  they  applied  to  the  Pres- 
bytery to  be  again  taken  under  their  care.  After 
some  little  demur  on  the  part  of  the  Presby- 
tery, the  church  was  again  received,  and  Mr. 
Vermilye  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor 
on  January  16th,  1826.  The  ministry  of 
Mr.  Vermilye  was  acceptable  and  useful  in 
this  church ;  but  the  house  of  worship  had 
not  been  paid  for,  and  the  congregation  were 
pressed  with  pecuniary  embarrassments,  and 
at  length,  in  June,  1829,  Mr.  Vermilye  re- 
signed his  charge,  and  the  church  shortly 
after  disposed  of  their  house  of  worship,  and 
disbanded. 

CENTRAL  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  originally  collected  by 
the  persevering  labors  of  the  Rev.  William 
Patton.  He  commenced  preaching  on  the 
first  Sabbath  in  March,  1820,  to  a  mere 
handful  of  people,  in  a  schoolroom  in  Mul- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  165 

berry  street,  just  below  Grand  street,  which 
he  hired  on  his  own  responsibility ;  and 
here,  on  January  8th,  1821,  a  church  was  or- 
ganized, consisting  of  four  persons  only. 
Mr.  Fatten  continued  preaching,  and  that 
gratuitously,  for  more  than  two  years  ;  divine 
influences  were  afforded ;  the  church  was  in- 
creased ;  and,  in  1822,  Mr.  Patton  was  in- 
stalled its  pastor.  A  convenient  house  of 
worship  was  erected  on  Broome  street,  near 
Centre  street,  75  feet  long  and  60  wide  ;  the 
corner-stone  was  laid  in  September,  1821, 
and  it  was  opened  for  worship  May  7th,  1822. 
Here  a  large  congregation  was  soon  collected. 
Dr.  Patton  remained  pastor  of  the  church  for 
about  fourteen  years,  when,  in  September, 
1834,  he  resigned  the  charge,  having  been 
elected  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the 
"  Central  American  Education  Society." 

The  ministry  of  Dr.  Patton  in  this  church 
was  very  successful.  He  began,  as  we  have 
seen,  with  four  persons  only,  and  but  one 
male  among  them.  He  was  unaided,  and 
sustained  himself  for  several  years.  But 
when  he  left,  the  "  little  one"  had  literally 
"  become  a  thousand," — as  about  that  num- 
ber of  names  had  been  enrolled  on  the 
15 


166  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

church  register,  the  largest  proportion  of 
whom  had  been  received  by  profession. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  William 
Adams,  DJX,  who  was  installed  November 
13th,  1834,  and  is  the  present  pastor. 

VILLAGE  CHURCH. 

A  little  previous  to  the  year  1822,  a  church 
of  a  few  members  was  formed  under  the 
above  name,  in  the  westerly  part  of  the  city, 
near  the  North  River.  When  they  applied 
to  Presbytery  to  be  received  under  its  care, 
some  objection  arose  from  a  supposed  inter- 
ference with  some  other  congregations,  but 
they  were  at  length  admitted  under  the  con- 
dition of  locating  south  of  Leroy  street,  and 
their  name  was  at  this  time  changed  to  that 
of  the  "  Tabernacle  Church."  In  November} 
1828,  the  Rev.  Alexander  G.  Frazer  became 
pastor  of  this  church,  at  which  time  more 
than  sixty  members  were  enrolled  in  com- 
munion, and  for  a  short  time  it  seemed  pro- 
bable that  it  might  have  grown  up  and 
lived  among  the  churches  of  the  city.  But 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Frazer  was  terminated 
by  his  resignation  in  the  summer  of  1830, 
aud  after  this  the  church  became  extinct. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  167 

"  PROVOST  STREET,"  OR  "  14TH   CHURCH." 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1822,  the 
Rev.  James  G.  Ogilvie  commenced  preach- 
ing in  the  westerly  part  of  the  city,  near 
Franklin  street,  then  called  Provost  street, 
and  in  January  10,  1823,  a  Presbyterian 
church  of  more  than  thirty  members  was 
organized,  and  on  the  13th  of  the  same 
month  Mr.  Ogilvie  was  installed  its  pastor. 
In  the  course  of  lhat  year  a  house  of  wor- 
ship, now  standing  on  Franklin  street,  was 
built  and  occupied  by  the  church  and  con- 
gregation, and  for  a  year  or  more  the  pros- 
pects of  the  congregation  were  encouraging. 
But,  like  many  other  church-edjnces,  the 
house  was  built  on  credit,  and  soon  the 
debt  began  to  press  hard  on  the  people,  and 
after  some  severe  but  ineffectual  struggles, 
Mr.  Ogilvie  solicited  his  dismission,  the 
house  was  sold,  and  the  church  was  regu- 
larly dissolved  by  Presbytery,  in  October, 
1825. 

SPRING  STREET  CHURCH. 

When  the  Laight  Street  Church  removed 
to  their  new  building  in  the  summer  of  1825, 


168  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

a  part  of  the  members  found  it  more  con- 
venient to  remain  behind,  and  accordingly  on 
the  9th  of  December,  in  that  year,  a  new 
church  of  forty-three  members  was  orga- 
nized, in  Spring  street,  continuing  to  hold 
worship  in  the  old  church  building,  which 
was  purchased  of  the  Laight  Street  Church. 
The  Rev.  Henry  G.  Ludlow  was  the  first 
pastor  of  this  church,  being  ordained  and  in- 
stalled, December  25th,  1828.  Mr.  Ludlow 
remained  here  until  April,  1837,  when  he  was 
dismissed  at  his  own  request,  and  settled  in 
New  Haven ;  and  in  October  of  the  same 
year,  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  William 
Patton,  D.D.,  who  is  the  present  minister. 
In  the  year  1835,  the  old  house  of  worship 
was  taken  down,  and  a  new  one  erected, 
much  larger,  and  more  convenient.  Here 
there  is  now  a  church  of  nearly  eight  hun- 
dred members ;  a  very  large  and  flourishing 
congregation,  and  a  Sabbath  school  of  about 
one  thousand  children. 

UNION  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  on  October 
13th,  1829,  with  about  twenty  original  mem- 
bers. A  house  of  worship,  situated  on 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  169 

the  corner  of  Prince  and  Marion  streets,  which 
had  been  built  by  a  Universalist  Society, 
about  five  years  previous,  was  purchased,  and 
on  October  22d,  1830,  the  Rev.  Herman  Nor- 
ton was  installed  pastor.  At  this  time  the 
church  had  increased  to  about  one  hundred 
members.  For  a  time  things  looked  pros- 
perously, and  the  congregation  were  encou- 
raged. But  the  house  of  worship  was  encum- 
bered with  a  heavy  debt,  and  at  length,  to 
relieve  these  embarrassments,  the  house  was 
sold  in  1835,  for  $20,000,  and  the  debts 
paid.  The  church  with  its  pastor  retired 
to  a  hall,  resolving  to  keep  on,  but  after 
struggling  for  a  year,  Mr.  Norton  resigned 
his  charge  in  April,  1835.  The  church, 
though  weakened  by  dismissions,  still  kept 
together,  supplying  themselves  as  best  they 
could,  until  April,  1838,  when  they  were 
dissolved  by  Presbytery. 

NORTH  CHURCH,  AND  CARMINE  STREET 
CHURCH. 

The  history  of  these  churches  is  mingled. 
On  November  1st,  1829,  a  church  was  orga- 
nized called  the  "  North  Church,"  and  met 

for  worship  in  the  Sixth  avenue,  near  Amity 
15* 


170  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

street.  Before  this  church  enjoyed  the 
labors  of  a  stated  pastor,  a  division  look 
place,  and  eighteen  members  removing  to 
Carmine  street,  were  called  the  "  West 
Church."  This  colony  took  with  them  the 
church  organization,  the  North  Church  re- 
maining the  legal  corporate  body.  This  was 
in  1831,  and  in  June  of  that  year,  a  new 
church  was  organized  as  the  "  North  Church," 
and  on  July  5th,  of  the  same  year,  the  Rev. 
Ebenezer  Mason  was  installed  its  pastor. 
The  ministry  of  Mr.  Mason  in  this  church 
continued  less  than  two  years,  being  termi- 
nated by  his  resignation  in  February,  1833. 
After  this  the  church  was  scattered,  and  soon 
became  extinct. 

The  "  West  Church  "  made  an  immediate 
effort  to  build  a  house  of  worship  on  Car- 
mine street,  which  was  finished,  and  opened 
in  May,  1832,  two  months  previous  to  which 
the  Rev.  David  R.  Downer  was  installed  pas- 
tor. The  church  was  then  but  a  feeble  band, 
consisting  of  only  thirty-two  members,  but 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Downer  was  very  suc- 
cessful; and  although  he  might  not  have 
been  a  very  learned  man,  nor  yet  what  the 
world  calls  a  very  eloquent  preacher,  nor  yet 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  171 

a  man  of  brilliant  talents,  yet  he  was  a  pious, 
devoted  minister,  and  was  instrumental  in 
gathering  into  the  church  more  than  four 
hundred  members.  He  died  of  consumption 
November  28th,  1841. 

The  Rev.  Edwin  Holt  was  the  next  pas- 
tor. He  was  installed  March  23d,  1842,  and 
after  sustaining  the  pastoral  office  about 
four  years,  was  dismissed  at  his  own  request, 
in  April,  1846.  The  church  is  now  vacant. 

FREE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1830,  a  meeting  of 
a  few  gentlemen  was  held  to  consult  on  the 
best  method  of  extending  church  privileges 
to  the  poorer  classes  of  the  community,  and 
more  especially  to  those  who,  on  account  of 
high  pew  rents,  and  other  causes,  were  al- 
most excluded  from  the  Reformed  Dutch 
and  Presbyterian  Churches.  The  result  of 
this  consultation  was  a  pledge  on  the  part 
of  five  individuals  to  take  measures  for  the 
establishment  of  a  free  church.  The  Rev. 
Joel  Parker,  then  pastor  of  a  church  in 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  being  in  the  city  at  the 
time,  was  present,  by  invitation,  at  that 
meeting,  and  gave  encouragement  that  if 


172  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

his  church  and  presbytery  would  consent, 
he  would  embark  in  this  enterprise.  This 
consent  was  obtained,  and  Mr.  Parker  com- 
menced his  ministry  in  New  York,  June 
27,  1830,  when  public  worship  was  com- 
menced in  a  room  in  Thames  street,  former- 
ly used  as  a  lecture  room  by  Rev.  Dr.  Ro- 
meyn.  The  first  meeting  was  attended  by 
about  forty  persons,  but  soon  increased  until 
the  room  was  filled  by  nearly  four  hundred. 
On  the  22d  of  September  following,  a 
church  of  16  members  was  organized  by  the 
Presbytery  of  New  York,  and  styled  "  The 
First  Free  Presbyterian  Church  of  New 
York."  Of  this  church  Mr.  Parker  became 
the  pastor.  The  congregation  continued  in 
Thames  street  until  Feb.  20,  1831,  when 
they  removed  to  the  Masonic  Hall,  on 
Broadway,  near  Pearl  street.  Arrange- 
ments were  immediately  made,  however, 
for  the  erection  .of  a  permanent  house  of 
worship,  which  was  accomplished  during 
that  year.  The  building  was  situated  on 
Dey  street,  corner  of  Washington  street. 
The  ground  floor  was  thrown  into  stores, 
the  second  floor  making  a  large  house 
of  worship,  capable  of  accommodating  from 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  173 

eight  hundred  to  one  thousand  persons.  The 
cost  was  about  $7,000.  The  seats  were  all 
free,  and  the  necessary  current  expenses 
raised  by  voluntary  subscription  and  contri- 
bution. This  house  was  opened  for  wor- 
ship, Oct.  16,  1831.  A  numerous  congre- 
gation assembled  here,  and  the  church 
was  greatly  enlarged.  Nearly  seven  hun- 
dred members  were  admitted  during  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Parker.  In  Oct.,  1833,  Mr. 
Parker  resigned  the  charge  of  this  church, 
being  about  to  take  charge  of  a  church  in 
New  Orleans.  He  was  succeeded  in  the 
church  in  Dey  street,  by  the  Rev.  Ephraim 
P.  Barrows,  who  was  installed  July  28th, 
1835.  In  the  year  1837,  Mr.  Barrows  was 
appointed  to  a  professorship  in  the  Western 
Reserve  College,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
Dey  Street  Church  by  the  Rev.  Jacob 
Helffeinstein.  In  February,  1838,  the  Dey 
Street  Church,  taking  their  pastor  with  them, 
united  with  the  "  Tabernacle  Church,"  re- 
linquishing their  own  name,  so  that  neither 
the  "  First  Free  Church,"  nor  the  "  Dey 
Street  Church,"  are  any  longer  to  be  found. 


174  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

SECOND  FREE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

On  the  14th  of  February,  1832,  a  colony 
of  thirty-six  members  and  three  elders  was 
dismissed  from  the  First  Free  Church,  and 
organized  under  the  title  of  the  "  Second 
Free  Presbyterian  Church  of  New  York." 
They  met  in  "  Broadway  Hall,"  until  the 
following  May,  with  the  Rev.  E.  P.  Barrows 
as  their  stated  supply.  At  this  time  the 
"  Chatham  Street  Chapel,"  which  had  been 
an  old  Theatre,  had  been  fitted  up  as  a  place 
of  worship,  and  the  Rev.  Charles  G.  Finney 
had  been  invited  to  occupy  it.  The  Second 
Free  Church  thereupon  removed  to  the 
Chatham  Street  Chapel,  and  Mr.  Finney  be- 
came its  pastor  September  28, 1832.  Mr. 
Finney  continued  his  labors  here  until 
April,  1836,  when  he  became  pastor  of  the 
church  then  formed  at  the  "  Tabernacle"  on 
Broadway.  The  Rev.  John  Ingersoll  had 
been  associated  with  Mr.  Finney  at  Chatham 
Street  Chapel,  in  1834,  as  co-pastor,  and 
was  dismissed  about  the  same  time. 

Immediately  after  Mr.  Finney  left  the 
Chatham  Street  Chapel,  the  Rev.  J.  H. 
Martyn  was  called  as  pastor  of  this  church, 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


175 


and  continued  his  labors  for  about  two  years, 
when  he  was  dismissed  at  his  own  request, 
in  May,  1838.  During  the  next  three  years 
this  church  had  no  pastor.  They  had  oc- 
casional supplies  of  preaching,  but  were  in 
a  scattered  and  broken  state.  In  the  month 
of  June,  1841,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Martyn,  their 
former  pastor,  was  recalled,  and  the  church 
by  vote  changed  their  form  to  Congrega- 
tional, and  the  "  Second  Free  Church"  is  no 
more  to  be  found. 

THIRD   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

This  also  was  a  colony  of  thirty-five  per- 
sons, dismissed  from  the  First  Free  Church, 
and  organized  under  the  above  title,  by  the 
Third  Presbytery  of  New  York,  on  Decem- 
ber 9,  1832.  They  assembled  for  worship 
at  the  Masonic  Hall,  on  Broadway,  being* 
supplied  by  the  Rev.  D.  C.  Lansing,  D.D., 
of  Utica,  who  was  installed  pastor  of  the 
church,  February  10th,  1833.  In  the  course 
of  that  year  a  house  of  worship  was  erected 
on  the  corner  of  Thompson  and  Houston 
streets,  at  a  cost  of  about  $11,000.  Here 
the  congregation  first  assembled  December 
29, 1833.  On  July  23, 1835,  Dr.  Lansing 


176  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

was  dismissed  at  his  own  request,  and  was 
succeeded  in  August  following,  by  the  Rev. 
Nathaniel  E.  Johnson,  who  remained  be- 
tween two  and  three  years,  and  was  dismiss- 
ed in  April,  1838.  After  remaining  vacant 
for  more,  than  a  year,  the  present  pastor  of 
the  church,  the  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Burchard, 
was  installed  on  the  1st  of  May,  1839. 
This  church  has  relinquished  the  free  system, 
and  now  rents  its  seats,  and  consequently 
is  no  longer  known  as  the  "  Third  Free 
Church,"  but  is  called  the  "  Houston 
Street  Church." 

FOURTH  FREE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1834,  a  colony  of 
thirty-five  members  was  dismissed  from  the 
Second  Free  Church,  and  organized  as  the 
•'  Fourth  Free  Presbyterian  Church."  They 
first  met  in  a  hall  on  the  corner  of  Hester 
street  and  the  Bowery,  and  the  Rev.  Arthur 
Granger  was  a  stated  supply  for  several 
months.  During  the  summer  the  meeting 
was  removed  to  the  "  Millitary  Hall"  on 
the  Bowery,  opposite  to  Spring  street,  and 
in  the  month?  of  October  of  that  year,  the 
Rev.  Isaac  N.  Sprague  was  installed  pastor 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  177 

of  the  church.     Shortly  after  this,  a  large 
building  on  Catharine  street,  near  Madison 
street,  formerly  used  as  a  brewery,  but  which 
had  been  fitted  up  for  a  place  of  worship, 
was  purchased,  and  hither  the  church  re- 
moved.    A  large   congregation   assembled 
here,  a  considerable  revival  of  religion  took 
place,  and  many  were  added  to  the  church. 
The  place   of  worship,  always  considered 
temporary,  was  now  found  to  be  altogether 
too  strait  for  the  increasing  assembly  ;    and 
during  the  year  1835,  it  was  taken  down,  and 
a  brick  building  sixty-eight  feet  by  fifty-eight, 
was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Catharine  and 
Madison  streets,  having  a  line  of  stores  in 
the   basement    story   on    Catharine    street. 
This  building  cost  about  $13,000,  and  was 
opened  for  public  worship  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath in  January,  1836.     The  health  of  Mr. 
Sprague  soon  failed,  and  in  April  of  that 
year,  he   found   it  necessary  to  resign  his 
charge.     Rev.  Joel  Mann  was  the  second 
pastor   of  this  church.     He   was   installed 
January  18,  1837,  and  dismissed  at  his  own 
request,  June  11,  1838.     The  Rev.  James 
I.  Ostrom  succeeded  Mr.  Mann,  being  in- 
stalled in  October,  1838. 
16 


178  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  ministry  of  Mr.  Ostrom  continued  a 
little  short  of  two  years,  he  resigning  the 
charge  June  1,  1840.  After  Mr.  Ostrom 
left,  the  Rev.  William  Whitaker  became  a 
stated  supply,  in  this  church,  for  about  a 
year  and  nine  months,  the  Presbytery  de- 
clining to  instal  him,  and  the  church  there- 
upon becoming  independent.  But  the  so- 
ciety had  now  become  weakened,  many  had 
removed  to  other  congregations,  a  load  of 
debt  for  the  building  lay  heavily  on  the  peo- 
ple, and  it  was  thought  impracticable  any 
longer  to  sustain  the  church ;  and  it  was 
finally  agreed  by  those  who  remained,  to  sell 
the  house  of  worship,  pay  the  debts  of  the 
concern,  and  disband.  This  was  accom- 
plished in  the  summer  of  1842.  A  Metho- 
dist Society  bought  the  house,  and  the 
"  Fourth  Free  Church"  is  no  more.  About 
the  commencement  of  the  year  1835,  some 
incipient  movements  were  made  for  the  for- 
mation of  a  Fifth  and  a  Sixth  Free  Presby- 
terian Churches,  but  no  other  organization 
in  this  form  has  ever  been  accomplished 
here. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  179 

TABERNACLE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

Connected  with  the  foregoing  account  of 
the  Free  Presbyterian  Churches,  it  seems  pro- 
per to  bring  into  view  the  church  first  organ- 
ized in  the  "  Tabernacle"  on  Broadway. 

The  building  well  known  as  "  The  Ta- 
bernacle," was  erected  in  the  year  1835,  and 
first  opened  for  worship  in  April,  1836.  The 
chief  design  of  its  founders  was  the  exten- 
sion of  the  free  church  plan,  then  in  its  most 
successful  operation  in  this  city.  Rev. 
Charles  G.  Finney,  then  pastor  of  the  Se- 
cond Free  Church  in  the  Chatham  street 
Chapel,  was  engaged  to  occupy  the  Taber- 
nacle. A  church  was  formed  of  120  mem- 
bers, about  80  of  which  were  dismissed  for 
this  purpose,  from  the  Second  Free  Church, 
and  on  April  10, 1836,  Mr.  Finney  became  its 
pastor.  This  church  had  some  very  pecu- 
liar features.  It  was  called  a  congregational 
church,  and  yet  the  business  of  the  church, 
both  spiritual  and  temporal,  was  committed 
to  seven  deacons,  who  were  to  be  chosen 
annually,  and  styled  "  The  Session."  This 
was  a  sort  of  Congregationalism  which  the 
New  England  Churches  would  not  have 


180  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

acknowledged,  and  a  sort  of  Presbyterianism 
which  could  not  have  been  acknowledged 
by  any  Presbytery  here.  Such,  however, 
was  the  Tabernacle  Church.  The  ministry 
of  Mr.  Finney  at  the  Tabernacle  was  termi- 
nated by  his  resignation  in  about  one  year  ; 
and  in  June,  1837,  he  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  George  Duffield,  who  supplied  the  pul- 
pit, acting  as  pastor,  but  without  regular  in- 
stallation. 

The  pecuniary  strength  of  the  congrega- 
tion being  found  inadequate  to  meet  the  ex- 
penses of  so  large  an  establishment,  a  union 
was  very  harmoniously  effected  between 
this  church,  and  the  "  First  Free  Church,"  in 
Dey  Street,  probably  to  the  advantage  of 
both.  The  Dey  Street  Church  presented 
one  condition  to  which  the  Tabernacle 
Church  assented,  viz.,  that  the  united  church 
should  be  Presbyterian.  The  Dey  street 
Church  brought  with  them  their  pastor,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Helffeinstein.  This  took  place  in 
Feb.,  1838.  Not  many  months  after  this, 
both  the  pastors  retired,  and  in  the  autumn 
of  the  same  year,  the  Rev.  Joel  Parker  be- 
came pastor  of  the  united  church.  At  this 
time  the  free  church  plan  was,  by  mutual 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  181 

consent,  partially  relinquished,  and  the  pews 
rented  as  in  other  churches. 

For  several  months  after  Mr.  Parker's 
settlement,  the  church  was  harmonious  and 
prosperous,  but  some  matters  of  discipline 
led  to  a  dissatisfaction  ;  a  sharp  controversy 
arose,  and  at  length  the  proprietor  of  the 
building,  which  had  never  been  paid  for, 
prosecuted  his  mortgage  to  foreclosure,  and 
in  July,  1840,  it  was  sold  at  auction,  and 
purchased  by  Mr.  David  Hale  for  $34,250. 
At  this  time,  the  church  consisted  of  be- 
tween five  and  six  hundred  members,  and  at 
a  very  fu41  meeting  of  the  church,  held  im- 
mediately after  the  sale  of  the  house,  it  was 
proposed  to  form  a  Congregational  Church 
after  the  model  of  the  New  England 
Churches.  The  officers  of  the  church,  and 
a  majority  of  the  members,  were  unfavora- 
ble to  this  measure,  and  having  no  house  of 
worship,  they  scattered  into  other  congrega- 
tions. Dr.  Parker,  for  a  short  time,  preach- 
ed a  part  of  each  Sabbath  in  the  Pearl  street 
Church,  where  a  large  portion  of  his  people 
attended,  but  at  length  they  all  scattered, 
and  "  The  Tabernacle  Presbyterian  Church" 
is  no  more. 


182  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

SIXTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  month  of  November,  1830,  Mr.  John 
A.  Murray,  a  licentiate  preacher,  commenced 
a  religious  meeting  in  a  school-room  on  the 
corner  of  Stanton  and  Essex  streets,  with  a 
small  congregation  of  people,  many  of  whom 
had  been  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Con- 
gregation in  Broome  street,,  then  under  the 
pastoral  charge  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Patton.  On 
January  8th,  1831,  eleven  persons  were  there 
organized  as  a  church,  by  a  committee  of  the 
third  Presbytery,  all  of  whom  were  dismissed 
for  that  purpose,  from  the  "  Central  Church  " 
(Dr.  Patton's) ;  and  being  a  colony  from  that 
church,  it  was  styled  "  The  Branch  Presby- 
terian Church,"  and  the  Central  Church  paid 
the  salary  of  their  minister  for  a  considerable 
length  of  time.  The  congregation  continued 
to  enlarge,  additions  were  made  to  the 
church,  and  everything  looked  encouraging. 
A  spacious  house  of  worship  was  erected  on 
the  Second  avenue,  near  Third  street,  the 
church  was  legally  incorporated,  and  called 
the  "  Second  Avenue  Church,"  and  on  June 
22d,  1832,  Mr.  Murray  was  ordained  and 
installed  its  pastor.  But  like  many  other 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  183 

congregations,  they  were  heavily  burdened 
with  debt  for  the  erection  of  their  house  of 
worship,  and  a  hard  struggle  was  necessary 
to  enable  them  to  keep  along,  yet  with  com- 
mendable perseverance  they  kept  on. 

In  the  summer  of  1834,  Mr.  Murray  was 
appointed  a  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission- 
ary Society,  to  reside  at  Geneva,  New  York, 
and  was  accordingly  dismissed  in  October 
of  that  year.  A  call  was  immediately  pre- 
sented by  the  church  to  the  Rev.  Ansel  D. 
Eddy  of  Canandaigua,  to  become  their 
pastor,  which  he  declined  ;  and  in  the  April 
following,  a  call  was  given  to  the  Rev. 
Charles  S.  Porter,  of  Gloucester,  Massachu- 
setts, which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed 
June  14th,  1835.  Mr.  Porter  continued  pas- 
tor of  this  church  about  five  years  and  a  half. 
A  considerable  congregation  were  generally 
in  attendance,  and  many  were  added  to  the 
church  ;  but  a  load  of  debt  was  pressing  hard 
upon  the  people,  and  they  became  disheart- 
ened. On  November  15th,  1841,  Mr.  Por- 
ter was  dismissed  at  his  own  request,  and 
shortly  after  the  house  of  worship  was  sold  at 
auction  for  about  $13,000,  and  purchased  by 
a  church  of  Roman  Catholics. 


184  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

A  large  portion  of  ihe  church  and  congre- 
gation now  scattered  into  other  churches, 
and  mingled  with  them,  while  a  few  chose 
to  remain  together  still,  and  having  rented  a 
Hall  on  the  Bowery,  obtained  occasional 
supplies.  Mr.  Horace  Eaton,  then  a  stu- 
dent in  the  Union  Theological  Seminary  of 
New  York,  conducted  their  meetings  for  a 
considerable  season.  Though  reduced  to  a 
mere  handful  in  number,  yet  after  a  time  the 
spirit  of  that  few  began  to  revive,  and  ar- 
rangements were  made  to  procure  a  house 
of  worship.  Ground  was  purchased  on 
Sixth  street,  near  Second  avenue,  and  a  neat 
brick  building  measuring  60  feet  by  40,  was 
erected  and  paid  for,  and  when  this  new 
building  was  first  opened,  on  June  18, 
1843,  Mr.  Eaton  was  ordained  to  the  pas- 
toral office  in  the  church,  the  name  of  which 
is  now  changed  to  that  of  the  street  on 
which  the  building  stands. 

The  condition  of  this  church  will  be  un- 
derstood, when  it  is  stated  that  in  April, 
1841,  just  previous  to  the  dismission  of  Mr. 
Porter,  the  church  reported  264  members  in 
communion,  but  at  the  ordination  of  Mr. 
Eaton,  in  June,  1843,  no  more  than  75  could 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  185 

be  found.  But  a  far  more  healthy  state  of 
things  now  exists.  A  good  congregation  is 
gradually  collecting,  to  whom  Mr.  Eaton 
continues  to  minister  with  increasing  use- 
fulness, and  155  members  are  now  enrolled 
in  communion. 

WELSH  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

A  congregational  church  had  been  formed 
in  the  year  1824,  or  1825,  which  met  in  Mul- 
berry street,  a  considerable  portion  of  whom 
were  Welsh,  and  the  services  were  conduct- 
ed for  a  part  of  the  time  in  that  language. 
In  July,  1833,  they  thought  it  expedient  to 
change  their  form  of  government,  and  were 
organized  as  a  Presbyterian  Church,  with 
52  members,  and  attached  to  the  third  Pres- 
bytery. The  Rev.  Jenkin  Jenkins  was  their 
minister  at  that  time,  and  remained  with 
them  for  about  two  years  after,  when  he  re- 
signed the  charge  of  the  church,  and  left  the 
city.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Jona- 
than J.  Jones,  who  was  installed  July  1, 
1836,  and  remains  in  charge  of  the  church 
at  the  present  time.  Their  place  of  worship 
is  in  Broome  street  near  the  Bowery,  and 
the  services  are  conducted  altogether  in  the 


186  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Welsh  language.  [The  prospects  of  the 
congregation  are  on  the  whole  encouraging. 
[See  sketch  of  the  Welsh  Calvinistic 
Methodist  Church  on  a  subsequent  page.] 

VILLAGE  CHURCH. 

We  have  already  given  a  sketch  of  a 
church  by  this  name,  called  also  the  "  Taber- 
nacle Church,"  formed  in  the  year  1822,  and 
which  became  extinct  in  about  eight  years 
after.  The  field  of  operations  of  that 
church  was  in  the  westerly  part  of  the  city, 
and  toward  the  Greenwich  village,  and 
although  that  church  had  failed,  it  still  seem- 
ed desirable  to  maintain  a  Presbyterian 
church  on  that  ground.  Hence  arose 
another  church,  called  also  the  "  Village 
Church.''  It  was  organized  by  the  third 
Presbytery,  December  29, 1833,  most  of  the 
original  members  being  dismissed  for  that 
purpose  from  the  Carmine  Street  Church. 
They  met  for  a  time  in  a  building  on  the 
east  side  of  Abingdon  Square,  which  had 
been  erected  for  a  bank  several  years  before, 
during  the  prevalence  of  the  yellow  fever  in 
the  city.  Arrangements  were,  however, 
made  for  building  a  house  of  worship,  which 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  187 

was  accomplished  in  the  year  1836.     It  is 
situated  on  Jane  street 

This  church  continued  in  operation  about 
seven  years,  and  was  under  the  charge  of 
three  successive  pastors,  viz.,  Rev.  William 
Page,  installed  June  22, 1834,  and  dismissed 
October  7,  1835 ;  Rev.  Daniel  Clark,  jun., 
installed  March  23,  1836,  and  dismissed 
April  4,  1838 ;  and  Rev.  Daniel  Brown, 
installed  November  10,  1840,  and  dismissed 
October  6,  1S4L  Very  soon  after  this  the 
house  of  worship  was  sold,  the  congregation 
scattered,  and  the  church  became  extinct. 

BRAINERD  CHURCH. 

This  church  owes  its  existence,  under 
God,  mainly  to  the  labors  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  Hall,  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the 
Home  Missionary  Society.  The  north- 
eastern section  of  the  city  had  been  extend- 
ing, and  had  become  quite  populous,  yet 
with  a  lamentable  dearth  of  the  ordinary 
means  of  grace,  when  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath in  January,  1833,  Mr.  Hall  commenced 
preaching  in  an  inconvenient  "  upper  room," 
on  the  corner  of  Stanton  and  Essex  streets. 
The  assemblies  at  first  were  small,  but  the 

%&*#' 


188  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

constant  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  with  its 
auxiliaries,  the  prayer-meeting,  and  the  Sab- 
bath school,  accompanied  as  they  usually 
are,  when  faithfully  used,  by  divine  influ- 
ences, soon  produced  a  marked  effect.  The 
people  of-  God  who  attended  on  these  ser- 
vices were  enlivened,  and  some  few  persons 
were  hopefully  converted.  In  about  a  year 
from  the  time  the  meeting  was  opened,  it 
was  thought  expedient  to  organize  a  church, 
which  was  accordingly  done  by  the  Third 
Presbytery,  on  February  9,  1834.  About 
thirty  members  were  first  enrolled,  and  they 
assumed  the  name  of  the  "Brainerd  Church." 
During  the  following  summer  the  Rev.  Asa 
D.  Smith  was  engaged  to  preach,  and  in 
November,  1834,  he  was  ordained  and 
installed  as  pastor.  A  substantial  house 
of  worship  was  built  on  Rivington  street, 
near  Ludlow  street,  which  was  completed 
in  the  following  year,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$20,000,  including  the  ground.  Mr.  Smith 
is  still  its  pastor.  His  labors  have  been 
much  blest,  and  a  numerous  assembly  is 
found  there. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  189 

EIGHTH  AVENUE  CHURCH. 

Such  is  the  corporate  name  of  a  Presby- 
terian church,  now  situated  in  West  Twen- 
tieth street,  between  the  Sixth  and  Seventh 
avenues.  The  Presbytery  of  New  York 
having  directed  their  attention  to  the  wants 
of  that  section  of  the  city  lying  on  the 
Eighth  avenue,  and  its  vicinity,  authorized 
their  missionary  committee  to  engage  a  man 
to  labor  in  that  field,  and  in  November,  1833, 
Mr.  James  C.  Edwards,  a  licentiate  preacher, 
was  appointed  to  that  service.  Meetings 
were  first  held  in  private  houses  until  the 
last  of  December,  when  the  people  assem- 
bled in  a  building  prepared  for  their  recep- 
tion, on  the  west  side  of  the  Eighth  avenue,, 
above  Nineteenth  street,  and  on  January 
5, 1834.  it  was  formally  opened  as  a  house 
of  worship.  On  the  9th  of  February  follow- 
ing, a  church  of  thirteen  members  was 
organized,  and  its  officers  installed ;  Rev. 
Mr.  Carroll  of  Brooklyn,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Phillips  of  New  York,  officiated  on  that  oc- 
casion. 

Mr.  Edwards  continued  to  labor  in  this 
congregation  until  the  spring  of  1835,  when 
17 


190  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

he  left,  having  accepted  a  call  from  the 
church  in  Smithtown,  Long  Island.  The 
Eighth  Avenue  Church  was  not  long  destitute, 
for,  on  April  25th,  1835,  the  Rev.  Henry  A. 
Riley  was  installed  pastor,  and  continued  in 
that  office  until  January,  1839,  when  he  re- 
signed his  charge. 

Mr.  Riley  was  succeeded,  in  April  follow- 
ing, by  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Brisbin,  who  remained 
pastor  of  the  church  about  two  years.  In 
the  autumn  of  1839,  during  the  ministry  of 
Mr.  Brisbin,  the  congregation  sold  the  small 
house  of  worship  they  had  occupied,  and 
hired  and  fitted  up  a  hall  on  Eighteenth 
street,  east  of  the  Eighth  avenue,  and  here 
they  remained  until  May,  1843.  After  the 
dismission  of  Mr.  Brisbin,  in  April,  1841, 
the  Rev.  James  I.  Ostrom,  their  present  pas- 
tor, was  engaged  as  a  supply,  but  was  finally 
installed  in  June,  1843,  at  which  time  the 
new  house  of  worship,  which  they  now 
occupy,  on  Twentieth  street,  was  dedicated. 
It  is  a  substantial  brick  building,  and  cost 
about  $10,000.  This  church  is  now  con- 
nected with  the  Fourth  Presbytery  of  New 
York. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  191 

MANHATTAN  ISLAND  CHURCH. 

The  settlements  around  the  "  Dry  Dock," 
— known  formerly  as  "  Manhattan  Island," 
became  the  scene  of  some  interesting  labors 
of  the  early  city  missionaries.  During  the 
summer  of  1816,  Mr.  Stafford  preached  there 
often,  at  the  ship-yards,  in  a  room  kindly 
furnished  by  the  Messrs.  Brown,  who  were 
then  extensively  engaged  in  ship-building  in 
that  neighborhood.  Here  large  assemblies 
were  often  collected.*  The  labors  of  Mr. 
Baldwin  and  other  city  missionaries  were 
also  occasionally  directed  to  this  spot.  But 
nothing  permanent  was  effected  for  many 
years. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1834,  the  Rev. 
John  J.  Slocum  commenced  preaching  in 
that  part  of  the  city,  with  the  view  of  collect- 
ing a  congregation.  A  building  had  been 
erected  on  what  is  now  Fourth  street,  having 
a  schoolroom  on  the  first  floor,  and  a  place 
fitted  up  for  public  worship  on  the  second, 
and  often  called  at  that  day  "  the  church  in 
the  Swamp,"  as  it  was  a  low  and  marshy 
place  all  around.  Here  Mr.  Slocum  held 

*  Stafford's  "  New  Missionary  Field,"  page  4. 


192  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

his  meetings.  A  considerable  congregation 
attended,  and  on  June  9th,  1834,  a  church  of 
a  few  members  was  duly  organized  by  the 
Third  Presbytery,  and,  on  the  15th  of  the 
same  month,  Mr.  Slocum  was  installed  its 
pastor.  He  continued  in  this  office  a  little 
more  than  two  years,  but  with  small  success, 
and  finally  resigned  his  charge  in  October, 
1836. 

The  church  still  kept  together,  and  con- 
tinued to  meet  for  worship  with  such  sup- 
plies as  they  could  obtain,  and  in  February, 
1838,  they  made  out  a  call  for  the  Rev.  Elihu 
W.  Baldwin,  formerly  a  city  missionary  on 
that  ground,  but  at  that  time  President  of 
Wabash  College.  But  failing  in  this  appli- 
cation, they  gave  up,  and  scattered,  and  the 
few  members  that  remained,  united  with  the 
Eleventh  Chmrch,  when  that  was  organized, 
in  the  following  year. 

TABERNACLE  CHURCH  (Catharine  street) 

In  the  autumn  of  1832,  or  the  early  part 
of  1833,  the  Rev.  Alonzo  Welton  commenced 
a  meeting  in  a  room,  formerly  a  brewery,  on 
Catharine  street,  near  Madison  street ;  and  in 
June,  1833,  application  was  made  to  the 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  193 

Third  Presbytery,  by  about  thirty  persons,  to 
be  organized  as  a  church,  with  a  view  to 
be  placed  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Welton. 
After  some  little  delay,  and  hearing  the  re- 
port of  a  committee  of  investigation,  the 
Presbytery  declined  acting.  But  the  meet- 
ing was  continued,  and,  in  February  of  the 
following  year,  application  was  made  to  the 
'  First  Presbytery  to  organize  the  church, — the 
proposed  members  of  which  presented,  at 
the  same  time,  a  call  for  Mr.  Welton  to  be- 
come their  pastor.  The  Presbytery  orga- 
nized the  church  by  the  name  of  the  "  Taber- 
nacle Church,"  but  the  church  did  not  prose- 
cute their  call.  Mr.  Welton  ceased  preach- 
ing there  after  a  few  months,  and,  disposing 
of  their  building  to  the  Fourth  Free  Church, 
the  Tabernacle  Church  scattered,  and  became 
extinct 

GERMAN  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  same  year  of  1834  was  signalized  by 
the  formation  of  a  Presbyterian  Church,  for 
the  benefit  of  the  German  population.  It 
was  but  a  small  and  feeble  band.  They 
met  in  Houston  street,  towards  the  East 

river,  having  for  their   minister    the   Rev. 
17* 


194  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

George  Mills,  who  was  installed  as  pastor  on 
November  16th,  1834.  In  about  three  years 
after,  finding  themselves  pressed  with  pecu- 
niary difficulties,  both  minister  and  church 
were  induced  to  withdraw  from  the  Presby- 
terian connection,  and  unite  with  the  Epis- 
copal Church. 

MERCER  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  summer  of  1834,  an  elegant  house 
of  worship  was  completed,  situated  on  Mer- 
cer street,  near  Waverley  place.  On  the  8th 
of  October  of  that  year,  a  church  of  twenty- 
four  members  was  organized  by  the  Third 
Presbytery,  more  than  half  of  whom  were 
from  the  Laight  Street  Church,  from  which 
congregation  also  many  of  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  the  Mercer  street  congregation  had 
removed.  On  Nov.  llth,  1835,  the  Rev. 
Thomas  H.  Skinner,  D.D.,  was  installed 
pastor  of  this  church,  and  continues  in  that 
office  to  the  present  time.  The  congregation 
is  large  and  wealthy,  and  the  church  now 
numbers  more  than  five  hundred  members. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  195 

SIXTH  AVENUE  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York,  in  the  summer  of 
1835.  Its  beginning  was  rather  encourag- 
ing. They  occupied  a  small  house  of  wor- 
ship in  Sixth  avenue,  opposite  Amity  street, 
being  on  the  same  ground  occupied  a  few 
years  previous  by  the  North  Church,  and  in  all 
probability  embracing  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  same  people.  The  Rev.  David  Long- 
more  became  their  stated  supply.  In  two 
years  the  church  had  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  members  in  commu- 
nion, but  in  October,  1838,  the  whole  enter- 
prise was  abandoned,  and  the  church  was 
dissolved  by  Presbytery. 

UNIVERSITY  CHURCH. 

This  was  a  small  band  organized  as  a 
church,  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  on 
April  19th,  1836.  They  assembled  for 
worship  in  the  chapel  of  the  New  York 
University,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  John 
Woodbridge,  D.D.,  then  recently  dismissed 
from  the  Bowery  Church.  But  Dr.  Wood- 
bridge  leaving  the  city  after  a  few  months, 


196  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

the  church  ceased  operations,  and  was  soon 
after  dissolved  by  presbytery. 

MADISON  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  by  the  Third 
Presbytery,  with  seventy-seven  members, 
mostly  from  the  Seventh  Presbyterian 
Church,  on  Aug.  12th,  1836,  and  on  Nov. 
4th,  of  the  same  year,  the  Rev.  James  W. 
McLane  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor. 
In  August,  of  the  following  year,  the  con- 
gregation completed  a  very  neat  and  com- 
modious house  of  worship  on  Madison 
street,  corner  of  Governeur  street,  at  a  cost, 
for  house  and  land,  of  about  $30,000.  The 
ministry  of  Mr.  McLane  was  useful  and 
successful  among  this  people.  He  was  in- 
strumental in  gathering  many  into  the 
church,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  con- 
gregation were  very  materially  improved  dur- 
ing his  continuance.  He,  however,  resigned 
his  charge  in  April,  1844,  and  was  succeeded, 
in  April  of  the  following  year,  by  the  Rev. 
D.  Taylor  Bagg,  the  present  pastor. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  197 

NINTH  CHURCH. 

A  church  by  this  name  was  constituted 
by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  Oct.  16thf 
1836.  They  met  for  worship  in  a  hall  on 
the  corner  of  Canal  and  Varick  streets,  and 
were  supplied  for  several  months  by  Mr. 
Robert  Birch,  a  licentiate.  Some  little  suc- 
cess attended  his  preaching,  and  the  church 
increased  within  a  year  to  nearly  sixty  mem- 
bers. In  September,  1837,  Mr.  Birch  be- 
came pastor,  but  in  less  than  a  year  he  re- 
signed this  charge,  having  accepted  a  call 
from  the  church  in  New  Brunswick,  and  the 
Ninth  Church  was  soon  dissolved. 

ROSE-HILL,  OR  TENTH  CHURCH. 

A  Presbyterian  church  of  a  few  members 
was  organized  by  the  Third  Presbytery  in 
June,  1837,  near  what  was  formerly  called 
"  Rose- Hill,"  near  the  junction  of  Twenty- 
second  street  and  Third  avenue.  Mr.  S. 
G.  Specs,  a  licentiate,  was  obtained  as  a 
supply,  and  continuing  acceptably  with  the 
people,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor 
of  the  church,  May  13, 1838.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  a  comfortable  brick  edifice  was 


198  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

erected  on  Twenty-second  street,  where 
Mr.  Specs  continued  to  minister  until  De- 
cember 21,  1840,  when  he  was  dismissed  at 
his  own  request.  The  church  was  vacant 
for  nearly  a  year,  when,  on  November  15, 
1841,  the  Rev.  Charles  P.  Bush  was  or- 
dained and  installed.  The  ministry  of  Mr. 
Bush  was  terminated  by  his  resignation  in 
October,  1845.  The  present  pastor  of  the 
church,  the  Rev.  James  Knox,  commenced 
his  ministry  very  soon  after  the  dismission 
of  Mr.  Bush.  He  was  installed  January 
28,  1846. 

ELEVENTH  CHURCH. 

The  Manhattan  Island  Church  ceased 
operations,  as  has  already  been  related,  in 
1838,  but  it  was  still  thought  desirable  to 
maintain  a  Presbyterian  church  on  that 
ground  ;  and  on  May  13, 1839,  a  new  church 
was  organized  by  the  Third  Presbytery,  con- 
sisting of  eighty-nine  members,  being  a 
colony  from  the  Seventh  Presbyterian 
Church,  with  a  few  who  remained  of  the 
Manhattan  Island  Church. 

In  the  following  month,  the  Rev.  Mason 
Noble  was  unanimously  invited  to  become 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  199 

their  pastor;  he  entered  on  his  labors  in 
July,  and  was  installed  on  the  14th  of  Oc- 
tober in  the  same  year.  For  more  than 
three  years  the  congregation  occupied  the 
place  of  worship  which  had  been  occupied 
by  the  Manhattan  Island  Church  in  Fourth 
street ;  but  in  October,  1842,  they  completed 
and  dedicated  a  new  house  of  worship  at 
the  corner  of  Fourth  street  and  Avenue  C. 
Mr.  Noble  is  still  their  pastor.  The  circum- 
stances of  this  church  are  very  encouraging. 
Many  have  been  added  to  the  communion, 
and  an  increasing  congregation  is  usually 
in  attendance. 

'i*  '     ' 

JANE  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  by  the  Second 
Presbytery  in  the  year  1842.  They  occu- 
pied a  house  of  worship  built  by  the  Vil- 
lage Church,  in  Jane  street,  near  Abing- 
don  Square,  a  church  which  had  ceased 
operations  but  a  few  months  previous.  The 
Rev.  John  Johnston  was  installed  pastor  of 
this  church  about  the  beginning  of  1843, 
and  continued  his  ministrations  there  but 
little  more  than  a  year,  he  being  dismissed 
in  the  spring  of  1844,  having  accepted  a 


200  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

call  to  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Jersey 
City.  Soon  after  this,  the  church  disbanded, 
most  of  the  members  uniting  with  the  Fifth 
Associate  Reformed  Church,  which^  very 
soon  after  occupied  the  building. 

FIFTEENTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

With  a  most  laudable  desire  to  extend 
the  privileges  of  the  gospel  to  the  more  des- 
titute parts  of  the  city,  as  well  as  to  occupy 
seasonably  the  vacant  ground,  private  and 
individual  munificence  had  secured  the 
erection  of  a  very  commodious  church 
edifice  on  Fifteenth  street,  near  the  Third 
avenue,  in  the  year  1843.  In  the  early  part 
of  1844,  the  Rev.  William  D.  Snodgrass, 
D.D.,  commenced  preaching  there.  On 
September  18th  of  that  year,  a  church  of 
twenty-seven  members  was  organized  by  the 
Presbytery  of  New  York,  and  on  March 
15,  1846,  Dr.  Snodgrass  was  installed  as 
pastor. 

HARLEM  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

This  is  a  small  band  of  less  than  twenty 
members  which  was  organized  by  the  Third 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  201 

Presbytery,  on  June  29,  1844.  A  small  but 
very  neat  house  of  worship  was  built  during 
that  summer,  and  on  the  16th  of  April,  1S45, 
the  present  pastor  of  the  church,  the  Rev. 
Ezra  H.  Gillett,  was  ordained  and  installed. 

BLOOMINGDALE  CHURCH. 

This  is  a  small  church  of  twelve  mem- 
bers, constituted  by  the  third  Presbytery,  oh 
March  17, 1845.  They  meet  for  worship  in 
a  Hall  on  Fiftieth  street,  near  the  Eighth 
avenue,  but  have  as  yet  no  stated  pastor. 

During  the  winter  of  1845-6,  Mr.  John 
Cromwell,  a  licentiate,  supplied  this  church. 
A  most  signal  blessing  attended  his  labors, 
for  the  assembly,  though  small,  was.  evident- 
ly favored  with  the  effusions  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  and  the  church  was  more  than 
doubled  by  the  admission  of  recent  hopeful 
converts. 

HAMMOND  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  constituted  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of   New   York,  on  July  26,  1845. 
They  had  twenty-one  original  members,  and 
ten  more  have   since  been  added.     They 
18 


202  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

have  built  a  lecture-room  on  the  corner  of 
Hammond  and  Factory  streets,  which  they 
now  occupy.  Rev.  William  E.  Schenck  is 
their  stated  supply. 

YORKVILLE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Rev.  Joshua  Butts  commenced  preaching 
in  a  school-room  on  the  Third  avenue,  at 
Yorkville,  in  the  autumn  of  1845,  and  a 
church  of  eighteen  members  was  organized 
there  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  on 
the  16th  of  April,  1846.  No  pastor  has  yet 
been  installed. 

MADISON  AVENUE  CHURCH,  AND  FORTY- 
SECOND  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  same  active  beneficence  which  pro- 
vided a  place  of  worship  for  the  Chelsea 
Church,  and  the  Fifteenth  Street  Church, 
led  to  the  erection  of  two  other  convenient 
and  substantial  houses  of  worship,  one  situ- 
ated on  Madison  avenue,  opened  in  1844, 
and  the  other  on  the  corner  of  Forty-second 
street  and  Eighth  avenue,  opened  in  Sep- 
tember, 1845.  Mr.  John  D.  Wells,  a  licentiate 
of  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  is  supplying 
the  Madison  Avenue  Church,  and  Ihe  Rev. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  203 

John  C.  Lowrie,  that  on  Forty-second  street. 
Church  organizations  have  not  been  accom- 
plished in  either. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1846,  preaching  was 
commenced  in  the  Manhattan  Hall,  No.  63 
Houston  street,  by  Mr.  B.  T.  Phillips,  a 
licentiate  of  the  Presbytery  of  New  York, 
with  a  view  to  the  ultimate  gathering  of  a 
church,  and  a  considerable  congregation  is 
already  assembling  there. 

ASSOCIATE       REFORMED       PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCHES. 

It  falls  not  in  with  the  plan  of  these 
sketches  to  detail  the  theological  questions 
which  ha've  rent  into  parties  any  of  the  reli- 
gious denominations,  but  simply  to  state,  in 
as  intelligible  a  manner  as  possible,  the  facts 
which  illustrate  the  history  of  each.  The 
Associate  Reformed  Church  is  a  union  of 
two  bodies,  which  originated  in  secessions 
from  the  Established  Church  of  Scotland. 
Five  churches  of  this  denomination  have 
been  formed  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  first  church  of  this  character  was 
formed  about  the  year  1757.  There  had, 
for  some  time,  existed  a  difficulty  in  the 


204  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Wall  Street  Church  on  the  subject  of  psal- 
mody, and  when,  at  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Bostwick  in  the  spring  of  1756,  those  dissen- 
sions were  in  a  measure  dropped,  a  minority 
were  still  dissatisfied,  and  preferred  to  with- 
draw quietly,  and  establish  a  new  church, 
which  was  accordingly  done.  The  church 
took  the  name  of  the  "  Scotch  Presbyterian 
Church,"  and  put  itself  under  the  care  of  the 
Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania.  In 
the  month  of  June,  1761,  the  Rev.  John  Ma- 
son, of  Scotland,  arrived  in  New  York,  and 
became  pastor  of  this  church,  and  it  was 
greatly  owing  to  his  influence  that  the  union 
was  effected  between  .the  Associate  and  Re- 
formed Churches.  After  this  union,  the 
church  of  which  he  was  pastor  was  called 
"  The  First  Associate  Reformed  Church  in 
New  York."  In  1768,  this  church  erected 
a  substantial  house  of  worship,  of  stone, 
65  feet  by  54,  standing  on  Cedar  street,  near 
Broadway. 

The  minister  of  this  church,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Mason,  was  a  man  of  eminence,  an  accom- 
plished scholar,  and  a  most  devoted  pastor. 
It  was  not  strange  that  the  church  and  con- 
gregation increased  under  his  ministry ;  nor 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  205 

that  he  should  be  greatly  lamented,  as  he 
was,  at  his  death,  which  took  place  in  the 
year  1792. 

On  the  death  of  Dr.  Mason,  his  son,  Mr. 
John  M.  Mason,  who  was  then  pursuing  the 
study  of  theology  at  Edinburgh,  was  in- 
vited by  the  church  to  succeed  his  father  in 
the  pastoral  office,  which  invitation  he  ac- 
cepted. The  Rev.  Dr.  John  M.  Mason  re- 
mained pastor  of  this  church  until  the  year 
1810,  when  he  resigned  this  charge  to 
become  the  first  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Murray  street.  Not  long  after  the  resigna- 
tion of  Dr.  Mason,  the  church  presented  a 
call  to  the  Rev.  Robert  B.  C.  McLeod, 
which  he  accepted  and  remained  pastor  of 
the  church  about  twelve  years,  when  he  re- 
signed the  charge,  and  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  Joseph  "McElroy,  who  was  installed, 
May  26th,  1824. 

The  increase  of  business  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  city,  and  the  consequent  removal  of 
the  families  from  the  vicinity  of  the  place  of 
worship,  led  this  church,  like  many  others, 
to  change  their  location.  Ground  was  there- 
fore purchased  in  Grand  street  near  Broad- 
way, and  a  large  and  most  substantial  build- 
18* 


206  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

I 

ing  was  erected  in  the  year  1836,  and  to  this 
the  church  removed.  Dr.  McElroy  is  still 
pastor. 

PEARL  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  was  the  second  Associate  Reformed 
Church.  The  congregation  was  organized 
in  the  year  1797,  and  a  house  of  worship 
built  on  Pearl  street,  then  called  "  Magazine 
Street,"  between  Elm  street  and  Broadway. 
It  was  a  substantial  building  of  stone,  66 
feet  long,  and  56  wide.  For  a  few  years  it 
formed  a  collegiate  charge  with  the  Scotch 
Church  in  Cedar  Street,  but  in  the  year 
1804  they  were  separated. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  the 
Rev.  Robert  Forrest,  a  native  of  Dunbar, 
Scotland,  who  was  installed  in  the  spring  of 
1804.  He  labored  in  this  congregation  with 
ability  and  faithfulness  for  about  seven 
years,  and  was  succeeded  in  1811,*  by  the 
Rev.  John  X.  Clark.  After  a  ministry  of 
nearly  seven  years,  Mr.  Clark  resigned  the 
charge.  Rev.  William  W.  Phillips  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Clark,  being  installed  in  the 

*  Mr.  [Forrest  died  in  Stamford,  Delaware  Co.,  N.  Y., 
March  17, 1846,  aged  78. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  207 

spring  of  1818,  and  in  the  summer  of  1826, 
he  was  dismissed,  in  order  to  take  charge  of 
the  Wall  Street  Church,  to  which  he  had 
been  called.  Rev.  Walter  Monteith  suc- 
ceeded Dr.  Phillips,  being  installed  Aug.  23, 
1826.  His  ministry  continued  about  three 
years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Ben- 
jamin H.  Rice,  who  was  installed  Dec.  3, 
1829.  Dr.  Rice  resigned  his  charge  in  1833, 
and  on  April  17,  1834,  Rev.  Henry  A.  Row- 
land was  installed.  Three  years  after  this, 
the  church  edifice  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and 
rebuilt  on  the  same  site  in  the  following 
year.  In  1843,  Mr.  Rowland  resigned  his 
charge,  and  the  Rev.  Charles  H.  Read,  the 
present  pastor,  was  installed  Dec.  13, 1843. 
The  present  number  of  members  in  the 
church,  is  350. 

MURRAY  STREET    CHURCH. 

This  was  the  third  Associate  Reformed 
Church.  It  was  composed  principally  of 
persons  who  had  belonged  to  the  "  Scotch 
Church"  in  Cedar  street  while  the  Rev.  Dr. 
John  M.  Mason  was  minister  there,  and  who 
left  with  him,  when  in  the  year  1810  he  re- 
signed the  pastorship  of  that  church.  For  a 


208  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

term  of  time  they  met  for  worship  in  Dr. 
Romeyn's  church  in  Cedar  street,  at  such 
hours  as  the  house  was  not  occupied  by  the 
ordinary  congregation.  They  were  subse- 
quently organized  as  a  church,  and  Dr.  Ma- 
son became  their  pastor.  In  1812,  an  ele- 
gant stone  building  was  completed,  situated 
on  Murray  street,  opposite  to  Columbia 
College,  the  site  of  which  is  now  occupied 
by  large  dwelling-houses.  Here  Dr.  Mason 
continued  to  officiate,  with  a  large  and  in- 
creasing congregation  around  him,  until 
Sept.,  1821,  when  he  was  elected  Professor 
of  Theology  in  the  college  at  Carlisle,  Pa. 
His  health  having  become  somewhat  im- 
paired by  the  continued  exercise  of  the  min- 
istry, he  was  induced  to  accept  the  appoint- 
ment ;  but  after  two  years,  his  health  utterly 
failed,  and  he  returned  to  New  York,  where 
he  died  in  1829. 

He  was  succeeded  in  Murray  street  by 
the  Rev.  William  D.  Snodgrass,  who  was 
installed,  Sept.  22,  1823,  and  remained  pas- 
tor of  the  church  until  Sept.  22,  1832,  when 
he  resigned  his  charge,  and  removed  to  the 
Second  Street  Church  in  Troy. 

Dr  Snodgrass  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  209 

Thomas  McAuley,  D.D.,  then  of  Philadel- 
phia, but  formerly  pastor  of  the  Rutgers 
Street  Church,  who  was  installed  January 
^  31,  1833.  A  heavy  debt  had  long  lain  upon 
the  church  for  its  original  cost,  and  many 
changes  in  the  congregation  having  taken 
place,  after  about  eight  years  of  Dr.  McAu- 
ley's  ministry,  it  was  judged  best  by  the 
congregation  to  sell  the  ground  on  Murray 
street,  which  had  become  very  valuable,  and 
remove  the  house  to  another  location.  A 
very  desirable  site  was  accordingly  procured 
on  Eighth  street,  fronting  Lafayette  place,  a 
part  of  the  street  called  "  Astor  place,"  and 
the  edifice  was  taken  down  and  built  on  that 
spot.  It  was  completed  in  1842.  In  No- 
vember, 1845,  Rev.  Dr.  McAuley  resigned 
the  pastoral  office,  and  the  church  is  now 
vacant.  It  is  generally  known  in  the  city  as 
the  "  Eighth  Street  Church,"  and  sometimes 
as  "  The  Church  on  Astor  place,"  though  its 
corporate  name  has  never  been  changed 
from  the  "  Third  Associate  Reformed 
Church." 

In  May,  1822,  the  three  churches  above 
named,  with  nine  others  belonging  to  the 
same  Synod,  united  with  the  General  As- 


210  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

sembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Several 
years  passed,  and  there  was  no  church  of 
this  denomination  in  the  city ;  but  in  the 
year  1831,  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod 
of  New  York  sent  the  Rev.  William  Mc- 
Auley  to  this  city  for  the  purpose  of  collect- 
ing and  organizing  a  congregation  ;  and  his 
labors  resulted  in  the  formation  of 

"  THE      FOURTH      ASSOCIATE     REFORMED 
CHURCH." 

The  first  meeting  was  held  in  Rutgers 
Medical  College  in  Duane  street,  on  the  first 
Sabbath  in  October,  1831.  The  assemblies 
were  small  at  the  beginning,  but  gradually 
increased,  and  on  the  fourth  Sabbath  of  that 
month  a  church  was  duly  organized.  The 
church  was  constantly  supplied  with  preach- 
ing, and  continued  to  increase  in  numbers 
and  influence.  In  March,  1832,  they  re- 
moved from  the  medical  college  to  a  house 
of  worship  on  Franklin  street,  at  the  foot  of 
Varick  street,  which  they  hired ;  and  here 
they  held  their  first  communion,  on  April  15, 
1832.  The  church  then  contained  but 
twenty-six  members.  This  church  has  had 
two  pastors.  The  first  was  the  Rev.  James 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  211 

Lillie,  who  was  installed  August  22,  1833. 
He  labored  with  much  acceptance  until  De- 
cember, 1835,  when  the  pastoral  connection 
was  dissolved  in  consequence  of  his  accept- 
ing a  call  from  a  church  in  Salem,  in  this 
State.  The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam McLaren,  who  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled pastor  on  September  1, 1836.  In  the 
following  spring  the  congregation  purchased 
the  house  of  worship  which  they  occupied 
for  $16,000,  and  they  are  now  in  a  flourish- 
ing state.  The  church  numbers  in  commu- 
nion three  hundred  and  ten  members. 

FIFTH  ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

This  church,  which  was  organized  in 
November,  1838,  was  gathered  principally 
by  the  labors  of  the  Rev.  James  Mairs,  who 
preached  in  a  schoolroom  at  No.  131  Allen 
street  for  about  three  months,  and  after  that 
in  the  Lecture-room  of  the  Medical  College 
in  Crosby  street,  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  in  September,  1840.  The  Rev.  Peter 
Gordon  soon  succeeded  Mr.  Mairs,  and  was 
installed  pastor  of  the  church  in  December 
of  that  year. 

Soon  after  this  the  congregation  removed 


212  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

to  the  "  Society  Library"  on  Broadway, 
where  they  remained  nearly  two  years. 
After  this,  for  a  short  time,  they  occupied  the 
"  Broadway  Hall,"  near  Grand  street,  and  at 
length  they  hired,  with  a  view  to  permanency, 
a  house  of  worship  on  Jane  street,  near 
Abingdon  Square,— -commencing  worship 
here  on  May  1,  1844.  The  congregation  is 
now  assuming  a  more  settled  character,  and 
they  have  purchased  the  house  of  worship 
which  they  occupy  for  $12,000.  Mr.  Gor- 
don is  still  pastor,  and  they  have  120  mem- 
bers in  communion. 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  first  church  of  this  name  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  was  formed  in  the  spring  of 
1785,  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Beveridge.  Mr. 
Beveridge  remained  with  this  church  for  a 
while,  but  does  not  appear  to  have  had  the 
pastoral  charge.  He  was  afterwards  settled 
in  Cambridge  in  this  state,  and  died  sudden- 
ly at  Barnet,  in  Vermont,  July  23, 1798. 

A  house  of  worship  was  erected  on  Nas- 
sau street,  in  1787,  and  here  the  first  pastor 
of  the  church,  the  Rev.  John  Cree,  was 
ordained  and  installed,  October  12,  1792. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  *   213 

Mr.  Cree  remained  but  two  years  when  he 
resigned  his  charge,  and  removed  to  Penn- 
sylvania. For  eight  years  the  church  re- 
mained without  a  pastor,  but  in  the  year 
1802,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hamilton  was  in- 
stalled, and  continued  pastor  of  the  church 
until  his  death,  in  August,  1818.  For  about 
two  years  after  this  the  church  had  occa- 
sional supplies.  In  the  early  part  of  1821, 
the  Rev.  Andrew  Stark  was  appointed  by 
the  Presbytery  to  supply  this  church.  After 
hearing  him  for  a  time  the  church  gave  him 
a  call,  and  in  May,  1822,  he  was  installed 
their  pastor.  Two  years  after  this,  the  con- 
gregation sold  their  house  of  worship  in 
Nassau  street  to  the  South  Baptist  Church, 
and  erected  another  on  Grand  street,  corner 
of  Mercer  street,  to  which  they  removed  in 
August,  1824.  Dr.  Stark  is  still  their 
minister. 

SECOND  ASSOCIATE  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  of  members  be- 
longing to  the  first  church  of  the  same  name, 
in  the  year  1830.  There  were  at  first  between 
thirty  and  forty  communicants.  They  met 
for  worship  in  the  Dispensary  in  White 
19 


214  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

street,  and  the  Rev.  Duncan  Stalker  was 
their  preacher  for  about  six  months.  The 
Rev.  James  Irving  was  the  first  pastor  of 
this  church.  He  was  installed  in  1831,  and 
continued  in  the  pastoral  office  until  his 
death,  which  took  place  in  the  fall  of  1835. 
During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Irving  a  con- 
venient church  edifice  was  erected  on  the 
corner  of  Thompson  and  Prince  streets,  at  a 
cost  of  about  $16,000  for  house  and  land, 
and  was  opened  for  worship  in  1833.  A 
heavy  debt  lay  upon  the  building,  but  still 
the  prospects  of  the  congregation  were,  on 
the  whole,  encouraging. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Irving,  the  Rev. 
Hugh  H.  Blair  became  his  successor  in  the 
pastoral  office.  But  difficulties  soon  arose 
of  various  kinds.  The  congregation  was 
embarrassed  on  account  of  their  debts,  and 
finally  the  house  of  worship  was  sold  under 
foreclosure  of  mortgage,  and  the  church  and 
congregation  retired  to  the  lecture-room  of' 
the  medical  college  in  Crosby  street.  But 
their  troubles  were  not  at  an  end.  Dissen- 
sions existed  among  themselves,  which,  in 
the  spring  of  1838,  ended  in  a  separation, 
and  the  body  now  known  in  the  city  as 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  215 

the  "  Second  Associate  Church,"  worshipped 
for  about  a  year  in  the  "  National  Hall"  in 
Canal  street,  and  thence  removing  several 
times  to  other  places,  remaining  without  a 
pastor,  being  supplied  by  the  Presbytery 
until  the  spring  of  the  year  1843,  when 
the  Rev.  William  J.  Cleland,  their  present 
pastor,  was  installed.  About  that  time  they 
purchased  a  small  house  of  worship  stand- 
ing on  the  corner  of  Houston  and  Forsyth 
streets,  where  they  still  remain.  The  num- 
ber of  communicants  is  about  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five. 

THIRD,  OR  CHARLES  STRIET  ASSOCIATE 
CHURCH. 

When  the  separation  took  place  in  the 
Second  Associate  Church,  as  just  related, 
that  portion  of  the  people  who  adhered  to 
Mr.  Blair  continued  for  a  time  to  maintain 
worship  in  the  Medical  College,  and  then  a 
small  church  building  standing  on  the  Sixth 
avenue,  opposite  Amity  street,  was  pur- 
chased and  occupied  for  several  years,  but 
in  October,  1844,  the  congregation  took 
possession  of  a  substantial  brick  edifice, 
which  they  had  erected  on  Charles  street, 


216  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

where  they  still  remain,  with  an  increasing 
assembly.  Mr.  Blair  continues  in  the  pas- 
toral office,  and  they  now  enrol  nearly  four 
hundred  members  in  communion. 

REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  city  of  New  York  was  organized  in  the 
year  1797.  The  members  of  the  original 
session  were  Messrs  John  Currie,  Andrew 
Gifford,  David  Clark,  John  Agne  w,  and  James 
Nelson  ;  the  three  former  from  Scotland,  and 
the  latter  from  the  north  of  Ireland.  All  of 
these  are  now  deceased,  except  Mr.  Gifford, 
who  still  survives,  in  very  advanced  years,  an 
eminent  example  of  Christian  consistency. 

In  the  year  1800,  the  congregation  called 
to  the  pastoral  office,  the  late  Rev.  Alexander 
McLeod,  D.D.,  who  had  then  but  recently 
been  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel.  At  that 
time  the  church  contained  about  thirty 
communicants,  and  they  met  for  worship  in 
a  small  room  in  Cedar  street 

In  the  following  year  a  site  was  procured 
on  Chambers  street,  east  of  Broadway,  and 
a  small  neat  frame  building  was  erected.  In 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  217 

this  house  Dr.  McLeod  continued  to  min- 
ister until  1819,  when  a  larger  and  more  com- 
modious edifice  of  brick  was  erected  on  the 
same  spot.  This  place  was  well  known  to  the 
Christian  inhabitants  of  New  York  of  all 
denominations,  who  were  often  attracted  to 
it  by  the  commanding  talents  of  the  pastor. 
In  the  year  1826,  a  few  spirited  individu- 
als of  the  congregation  purchased  a  house 
of  worship  which  had  been  formerly  used  by 
by  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  Greenwich 
village,  and  removed  it  to  Sixth  street,  now 
Waverley  place.  The  original  design  of  the 
movement  was  to  establish  a  collegiate 
charge,  both  branches  of  which  should  be 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  Dr.  McLeod, 
with  an  assistant  minister.  This  design, 
however,  failed  of  accomplishment,  and  a 
distinct  and  independent  congregation  was 
organized,  to  worship  in  Waverley  place. 
At  that  time  the  whole  number  of  commu- 
nicants in  the  Reformed  Church  was  about 
three  hundred  and  thirty,  and  of  these  about 
one  hundred  received  certificates  to  form  the 
new  church.  The  Presbytery  then  submit- 
ted the  choice  of  the  two  congregations  to 
19* 


218  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Dr.  McLeod,  and  he  decided  to  remain  with 
the  mother  church  in  Chambers  street. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1833,  the 
congregation  called  the  Rev.  John  N.  Mc- 
Leod, and  he  was  installed  as  colleague 
pastor  with  his  father.  Dr.  McLeod  sur- 
vived this  event  but  a  few  weeks,  departing 
this  life  on  February  17th,  1833,  in  the  58th 
year  of  his  age,  and  34th  year  of  his  min- 
istry. The  Rev.  Dr.  John  N.  McLeod  con- 
tinues to  the  present  time  sole  pastor  of  the 
church.  In  the  year  1835,  the  congregation 
considered  it  expedient  to  remove  from 
Chambers  street,  and  having  disposed  of 
their  house  of  worship,  they  purchased  a 
larger  and  more  commodious  building  which 
had  been  occupied  by  the  Union  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  situated  on  Prince  street,  corner 
of  Marion  street,  where  they  still  remain,  a 
flourishing  congregation.  They  number 
three  hundred  and  thirty-six  on  their  roll  of 
communicants. 

SECOND  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

This  is  the  organization  referred  to  above, 
who,  in  number  about  one  hundred,  were  de- 
tached from  the  old  Reformed  Church  in 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  219 

Chambers  street,  in  the  year  1830,  and  form- 
ed into  a  separate  church,  worshipping  in 
"Waverley  place.  The  first  pastor  of  this 
church  was  the  Rev.  Robert  Gibson,  who 
was  installed  pastor  of  the  church,  May 
18th,  1831,  remaining  in  charge  until  his 
death,  which  took  place,  December  23d, 
1837.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  present 
pastor,  the  Rev.  Andrew  Stevenson,  who 
was  installed  November  14th,  1839,  This 
congregation  is  in  a  flourishing  state,  and 
three  hundred  and  nineteen  were  reported  in 
communion  in  May,  1845. 

REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHUICH  IK 
SULLIVAN  STREET. 

This  church  was  formed  January  21st, 
1833.  It  arose  out  of  some  difficulties  in 
the  Rev.  Dr.  McLeod's  congregation  in 
Chambers  street,  to  which  the  original  mem- 
bers belonged.  The  congregation  worship- 
ped for  some  time  in  the  lecture  room  of  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  Franklin  street, 
but  in  the  year  1839,  they  purchased  a  house 
of  worship  on  Sullivan  street,  near  Spring 
street,  which  had  been  built  and  occupied  by 
the  Protestant  Methodists,  where  they  still 


220  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

remain.  The  church  has  had  but  one  pas- 
tor, the  Rev.  James  Chrystie,  who  was  in- 
stalled, November  16th,  1836,  and  remains 
with  them.  They  have  one  hundred  and 
eighty  members  in  communion. 


DATB  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES  IN 
g  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

\TITH  THB  HCMBJER  OF  COMMUNICANTS  IN  EACH  (1845). 

Date.  Com. 

First  Church 1716  288 

Scotch  Church 1756  675 

1st  Associate  Church 1785  300 

Reformed  Church  (Prince  8t.) 1797  336 

Pearl  Street  Church 1804  350 

Duane  Street  Church 1808  444 

Brick  Church 1809  719 

Rutgers'  Street  Church 1 809  869 

Canal  Street  Church 1809  250 

Eighth  Street  Church 1812  404 

Seventh  Church 1818  1073 

Allen  StreetChurch 1819  447 

Central  Church 1821  549 

Colortd  Presbyterian 1822  413 

Spring  Street  Church 1825  773 

Bleecker  Street  Church 1825  399 

Carmine  Street  Church 1 829  637 

Reformed  Church  (Waverley  Place) 1830  319 

2d  Associate  Church : 1830  135 

Sixth  StreetChurch 1831  155 

4th  Associate  Reformed  Church 1831  310 

Houston  Street  Church 1832  723 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  221 

Welsh  Church 1833 

Reformed  Church  (Sullivan  st.) 1833 

Brainerd  Church 1834 

West  Twentieth  Street  Church 1834 

Mercer  Street  Church 1835 

Madison  Street  Church 1836 

5th  Associate  Reformed  Church 1837 

Tenth  Church 1837 

3d  Associate  Church 1838 

Eleventh  Church 1839 

Chelsea  Church 1842 

Fifteenth  Street  Church 1844 

Harlem  Church 1844 

Bloomingdale  Church 1845 

Church  on  University  Place 1845 

Hammond  Street  Church 1 84.5 

Yorkville  Church 184<J 


Total 13,478 

Total  number  of  Churches 39 


LIST  OF  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCHES   WHICH 
HAVE  BECOME  EXTINCT. 

When  formed.    When  and  how  ended. 
Elizabeth  Street  Church  ----  1811         dissolved  1813. 

Laight  Street  Church  ......  1811          dissolved  1  842. 

Eighth  Presbyterian  .......  1819         dissolved  1842. 

Vandewater  Street  Church..  1820  died  out 


'  •  1822  died  out 

Bowery  Church  ...........  1822          dissolved  1841. 

Provost^Street,  or  14th  j  _  ^  Ig23         diseolved 


Union  Church  ............  1829          dissolved  1838. 

i  =t  GVQ<,  m.  nMh       *  100  A  <  united  with 

1st  Free  Church  ..........  1830  J  ^  Chufch 

North  Church  ............  1831  died  out. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


Village  Church 1833  died  out. 

Tabernacle   Church  )  1B_. 

(Catharine Street)     \  ••••1834 

1st  German  Church 1834  *  becan»  ^^ 

^  in  loo/. 

4th  Free  Church 1834  dissolved  1 842. 

Manhattan  Island  Church . .  1834  died  out. 

Sixth  Avenue  Church 1835  dissolved  Oct. ,  1 838. 

University  Church 1836  dissolved  1837. 

Ninth  Church 1836  dissolved  1838. 

Broadway  Tabernacle 1 838  dissolved  1 840. 

Jane  Street  Church 1 842  dissolved  1844. 

Total  number  of  Churches 21 


BAPTIST  CHURCH. 
1724. 


THE  first  Baptist  Church  organized  in  the 
City  of  New  York,  is  said  to  have  been  in 
doctrine  Arminian.  Three  ministers  of  this 
description  are  stated  to  have  been  in  the 
city  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  viz., 
Mr,  Wickenden,  Mr.  Whitman,  and  Mr. 
Ayres.  In  1709,  Mr.  Wickenden  preached 
in  New  York,  but  not  having  a  license  from 
the  royal  authority,  he  was  imprisoned  three 
months  for  his  offence.  In  1712,  Mr.  Whit- 
man came  to  New  York  from  some  part  of 
New  England,  arid  preached  in  the  house 
of  Mr.  Ayres,  continuing  his  visits  as  he 
found  it  convenient  for  the  space  of  about 
two  years.  During  this  time  several  per- 
sons were  hopefully  converted,  and  among 
them  Mr.  Ayres  himself,  who  afterwards  be- 
came a  preacher.  That  was  a  day  of  perse- 


234  BAPTI81  CHURCH. 

cntion  for  religion,  and  for  fear  of  this,  it 
was  proposed  that  the  ordinance  of  Bap- 
tism should  be  administered  to  the  converts 
in  the  night,  and  it  was  accordingly  done  to 
several  persons.  But  Mr.  Ayres  and  several 
others  declined  taking  this  course,  and  he 
boldly  waited  on  Mr.  Burnet,  ihe  royal  Go- 
vernor, stated  frankly  to  him  his  convictions 
of  duty,  and  requested  protection.  This  the 
Governor  readily  gave,  and,  with  several 
other  gentlemen,  accompanied  him  to  the 
water,  where  the  ordinance  was  administer- 
ed in  peace.  In  Sept.,  1724,  a  church  was 
organized,  and  Mr.  Ayres  became  its  pastor. 
Not  long  after  a  small  house  of  worship 
was  erected  on  what  was  then  called 
"  Golden  Hill,"  not  far  from  the  site  of  the 
late  Baptist  church  in  Gold  street,  which 
was  taken  down  in  1840.  Mr.  Ayres  re- 
mained pastor  of  this  church  about  seven 
years.  On  Oct.  31, 1731,  he  resigned  his 
charge,  and  removed  to  Newport,  R.  I, 
where  he  died.  After  the  dismission  of  Mr. 
Ayres,  a  Mr.  Stephens  preached  for  a  short 
time,  and  in  less  than  a  year  after,  the  meet- 
ing-house was  claimed  by  one  of  the  Trus- 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  225 

tees,  and  sold  as  private  property,  and  the 
church  was  dissolved.* 

"  FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH." 

The  body  now  known  in  New  York  by 
this  name,  was  organized  on  June  19,  1762. 
For  more  than  fifteen  years  prior  to  this, 
some  few  persons,  who  were  Baptists  in  sen- 
timent, had  maintained  prayer  meetings, 
with  occasional  preaching,  first  in  private 
houses,  and  afterwards  in  a  rigging  loft, 
standing  on  William  street,  then  called  "  Cart 
and  Horse  street,"  from  a  conspicuous  sign 
of  that  kind  which  hung  in  it.  These  feeble 
means  were  blessed,  and  several  persons 
were  hopefully  converted.  The  nearest 
Baptist  church  was  at  that  time  at  Scotch 
Plains,  N.  J.,  and  to  this  those  persons  were 
attached.  They  were  considered  a  branch 
of  the  Scotch  Plains  Church,  and  the  pastor 
of  that  church,  Elder  Benjamin  Miller,  used 
to  preach  in  New  York  as  he  found  oppor- 
tunity, coming  regularly  once  in  three 

*  For  much  information  respecting  the  early  move- 
ments of  the  Baptist  Church  in  New  York,  the  writer  is 
indebted  to  Mr.  Parkinson's  "  Jubilee  Sermon,"  and  to 
Benedict's  History  of  the  Baptists. 
20 


226  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

months  to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Such  was  the  arrangement  in  1753,  and  so 
it  continued  until  the  organization  of  the 
church.  In  1759,  a  lot  of  ground  was  pur- 
chased on  Gold  street,  between  Fulton  and 
John  streets,  and  a  small  meeting-house 
was  built,  which  was  opened  for  worship 
March  14, 1760.  In  about  two  years  after, 
the  members  of  the  Scotch  Plains  Church 
living  in  New  York,  having  increased  to 
twenty-seven,  felt  ready  to  stand  alone, 
and  it  was  accordingly  done  as  above  stated, 
June  19,  1762,  by  Elders  Benjamin  Miller 
and  John  Gano.  The  infant  church  imme- 
diately invited  Mr.  Gano  to  the  pastoral 
office  with  them,  which  he  as  promptly  ac- 
cepted, and  entered  on  his  labors.  Mr. 
Gano  was  at  that  lime  in  the  very  prime  of 
his  manhood,  being  about  thirty-five  years 
of  age;  he  was  a  man  of  rare  gifts  and 
grace,  and  it  was  not  strange  that  a  large 
congregation  was  soon  gathered  around  him, 
so  that  in  about  a  year  it  became  necessary 
to  enlarge  the  house  of  worship.  Things 
went  quietly  on  for  several  years  until  the 
commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
which  brought  great  evils  upon  this  church, 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  227 

as  well  as  upon  all  the  other  churches  in  the 
city.  When  the  British  army  took  pteses- 
sion  of  New  York,  the  churches  were  mostly 
closed  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  and  many 
of  the  people  fled.  In  April,  1776,  Mr. 
Gano  became  a  chaplain  in  the  army,  and 
his  church  was  scattered,  so  that  on  the  re- 
turn of  peace,  when  Mr.  Gano  returned  to 
the  city,  in  Sept.,  1784,  out  of  two  hundred 
members  of  the  church  which  he  had  enroll- 
ed previous  to  leaving,  only  thirty-seven 
could  be  found.  The  members  of  the  con- 
gregation were  scattered  also,  and  their 
house  of  worship  had  been  used  as  a  stable, 
and  well  nigh  destroyed.  However,  they  all 
set  to  work  like  men  to  repair  their  desola- 
tions. Many  of  the  members  of  the  church 
soon  returned  from  their  dispersions;  the 
word  preached  was  accompanied  by  a  di- 
vine power,  and  many,  it  was  hoped,  were 
added  unto  the  Lord.  Mr.  Gano  continued 
to  labor  successfully  until  April,  1788,  when 
he  resigned  his  charge,  and  removed  to  the 
State  of  Kentucky ;  having  held  the  pastoral 
office  in  this  church  twenty-six  years,  with 
credit  to  himself,  and  to  the  edification  of  the 
people.  During  his  ministry  in  New  York, 


228  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

he  received  to  the  church  by  baptism,  297 
menders. 

The  second  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  Benjamin  Foster,  D  J).  He  was  settled 
in  the  month  of  September,  1788,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  pastoral  office  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  from  yellow  fever,  August 
26, 1798,  at  the  age  of  48  years. 

The  third  pastor  of  the  church  was  the 
Rev.  William  Collier,  of  Boston.  He  offi- 
ciated here  for  some  time  as  a  licentiate, — 
hesitating  about  assuming  a  pastoral  charge 
on  account  of  feeble  health.  He,  however, 
accepted  the  call  of  the  church  in  October, 
1800,  and  became  pastor,  but  remained  a 
little  more  than  three  years,— then  resigning 
this  charge,  and  accepting  a  call  to  the 
Baptist  Church  in  Charlestown,  Mass.  He 
left  New  York,  January  10th,  1804. 

During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Collier  the 
meeting-house  was  rebuilt, — the  old  one 
having  become  decayed,  and,  as  was  thought, 
u  nfit  for  occupancy.  It  was  taken  down  in 
March,  1801,  and  the  new  house  opened 
May  2d,  1802.  It  was  SO  feet  by  65,  and 
cost  about  $25,000.  The  sermon  at  its 
dedication  was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Stephen 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  229 

Gano,  D.D.,  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
the  son  of  their  first  pastor. 

After  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Collier  the 
church  presented  a  call  to  Mr.  Jeremiah 
Chaplin,  of  Danvers,  Massachusetts,  which 
he  declined. 

Rev.  William  Parkinson  was  the  fourth 
pastor  of  the  church.  He  became  such  in 
the  spring  of  1805,  and  continued  in  the  pas- 
toral office  for  about  thirty-five  years,  when, 
in  June,  1840,  he  resigned  the  charge. 

In  the  same  year  it  was  thought  expedient 
to  remove  the  place  of  worship,  for  the  better 
accommodation  of  the  congregation.  The 
old  meeting-house  in  Gold  street  was  accord- 
ingly taken  down,  the  ground  sold,  and  a 
new  and  elegant  building  of  stone  was 
erected  on  Broome  street,  corner  of  Elizabeth 
street,  measuring  100  feet  by  75,  which  was 
opened  for  public  worship  in  the  spring  of 
1841.  The  Rev.  Spencer  H.  Cone,  D.D., 
pastor,  of  the  Oliver  Street  Baptist  Church, 
was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  this,  and 
entered  on  its  duties  July  1, 1841.  He  re- 
mains its  pastor,  with  five  hundred  and 
eighty-six  members  in  communion,  as  re- 
ported in  June,  1845. 
20* 


230  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

BETHESDA  BAPTIST  CHURCH, 

When  Mr.  Parkinson  resigned  the  charge 
of  the  First  Church,  as  above  stated,  many  of 
the  members  chose  to  remain  under  his 
ministry,  and  accordingly  about  seventy  mem- 
bers took  dismissions,  and,  in  1841,  were  or- 
ganized as  a  distinct  body,  calling  them- 
selves the  "  Bethesda  Church."  They  met 
in  a  schoolroom  in  Crosby  street,  where  they 
still  remain,  numbering  eighty-eight  mem- 
bers. Mr.  Parkinson  preached  to  them  until, 
through  infirmity,  he  was  prevented  from 
officiating  any  longer.  The  Rev.  J.  C. 
Hopkins  is  now  their  pastor. 

SECOND  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

.  In  the  year  1770  a  difficulty  took  place  in 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  then  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  John  Gano,  respecting  psalm- 
ody. It  had  been  the  usage  of  the  church  U> 
have  the  lines  parcelled  out  as  sung,  but  a 
large  majority  being  in  favor  of  a  different 
mode,  a  difficulty  arose,  and  at  length  four- 
teen members  took  their  dismissions,  and,  on 
June  5th  of  that  year,  were  constituted  as  a 
distinct  church,  under  the  name  of  the 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  231 

"Second  Baptist  Church  in  New  York." 
The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the  Rev. 
John  Dodge,  a  native  of  Long  Island,  and 
bred  a  physician.  He  became  a  Baptist  in 
Baltimore,  and  united  with  the  Second 
Church  in  New  York  as  their  pastor  on 
January  14th,  1771.  It  is  not  now  known 
how  long  Mr.  Dodge  remained  pastor  of  this 
church,  nor  is  anything  known  of  his  minis- 
try. The  war  of  the  Revolution  soon  came 
on,  and  doubtless  this  church  was  scattered 
with  all  the  others  in  the  city.  But  a  year 
or  two  after  the  peace,  we  find  it  again  in 
operation.  About  the  year  1790,  some  diffi- 
culties again  occurred  in  the  First  Baptist 
Church, — then  under  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Foster,  and  eighteen  members  were  dis- 
missed to  the  Second  Church.  But  the 
Second  Church  was  not  happy  in  itself. 
Difficulties  arose  here,  and,  by  the  beginning 
of  1791,  the  church  was  divided  into  two 
parties,  both  claiming  the  name  of  the 
"  Second  Church,"  and  practically,  if  not 
really,  excommunicating  each  other.  But 
friends  interfered,  and  at  length  they  were 
both  persuaded,  and  very  wisely  too,  to  re- 
linquish the  name  for  which  they  had  very 


232  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

foolishly  quarrelled, — one  part  remaining  on 
the  minutes  of  the  Association  under  the 
original  date  of  1770,  and  now  to  be  called 
"  The  Bethel  Church,"  and  the  other  section, 
taking  the  date  of  the  year  when  the  transac- 
tion took  place,  1791,  was  styled  "  The 
Baptist  Church  in  Fayette  street."  So  the 
"  Second  Baptist  Church  in  New  York"  is 
no  longer  known  by  that  name. 

BETHEL  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

When  the  division  took  place  in  the 
Second  Baptist  Church,  just  referred  to,  that 
church  was  occupying  a  house  of  worship 
then  standing  on  Rose  street,  nearly  oppo- 
site the  present  Friends'  Meeting-House. 
After  the  division,  the  "  Bethel  Church"  re- 
mained in  the  same  place,  and  the  name 
"  Second  Church"  was  still  applied  to  it  for 
several  years.  It  was  a  small  body  of  only 
thirty-seven  members  in  1793.  The  Rev. 
Adam  Hamilton  was  their  pastor,  who  re- 
mained until  1795,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  Charles  Lahatt,  who  remained 
about  seven  years.  In  1803,  the  Rev. 
Daniel  Hall  became  pastor  of  this  church, 
and  continued  to  officiate  in  that  office  for 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  233 

nearly  fourteen  years,  being  succeeded  in 
1817  by  the'  Rev.  Johnson  Chase.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Hall,  about 
the  year  1806,  a  small  wooden  building  was 
erected  on  the  south  side  of  Broome  street, 
near  the  Bowery,  and  to  this  the  church  re- 
moved. But  it  was  a  small  assembly,  and 
when  Mr.  Chase  commenced  his  labors,  the 
church  numbered  in  communion  about  one 
hundred  members.  But  after  this  their 
circumstances  were  more  prosperous.  A 
large  congregation  was  soon  collected,  and 
it  became  necessary  to  enlarge  the  place  of 
worship.  In  1820,  more  than  four  hundred 
members  were  reported  in  communion,  and 
everything  went  on  prosperously.  The  Bethel 
Church  continuing  to  enlarge,  in  the  year 
1819  they  erected  a  large  brick  edifice, 
measuring  eighty-five  feet  by  sixty-five,  on 
the  corner  of  Delancy  and  Christie  streets. 
Here  they  continued  in  ordinary  prosperity 
until  the  year  1830,  when  difficulties  arose, 
and  the  church  was  split  into  parties.  In 
the  following  year,  the  party  opposed  to  Mr. 
Chase  claimed  to  be  the  true  Bethel  Church. 
They  were  joined  by  the  members  of  the 
Elizabeth  Street  Church,  and  their  pastor>the 


234  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Rev.  William  G.  Miller,  and  the  conflicting 
parties  each  came  with  the  usual  letter  to  the 
Association,  one  party  claiming  Mr.  Chase 
as  pastor,  and  the  other  claiming  Mr.  Miller. 
The  matter  was  warmly  contested,  and  post- 
poned for  a  year,  till  finally,  the  Association 
deciding  in  favor  of  Mr.  Miller,  Mr.  Chase 
and  those  who  adhered  to  him  withdrew 
from  that  body,  stating  their  reasons  in 
writing,  and  Mr.  Miller,  and  those  who  ad- 
hered to  him,  were  acknowledged  as  the  true 
Bethel  Church.  Both,  however,  still  claimed 
the  house  of  worship,  and  in  their  struggles 
to  retain  it,  much  of  very  unchristian  con- 
duct was  exhibited,  and  some  of  the  most 
disgraceful  scenes  enacted.  But  Mr.  Miller 
and  his  party  prevailed,  and  Mr.  Chase  and 
his  party  were  driven  out,  and  afterwards 
worshipped  by  themselves,  first  in  Mott  street, 
and  since  that  in  various  places,  having  not 
been  able  as  yet  to  procure  for  themselves  a 
house  of  worship.  They  are  now  reduced 
to  a  small  band,  meeting  in  a  hall  in  Christie 
street,  below  Grand  street.  Mr.  Chase  is 
still  their  minister,  having  neither  resigned 
his  charge  nor  been  dismissed  by  his  church. 
Mr.  Miller  and  the  party  adhering  to  him, 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  235 

held  possession  of  the  meeting-house  on 
Delancy  street,  where  he  continued  to 
preach  for  a  time,  when  the  building  being 
encumbered  with  debt,  was  abandoned.  The 
church  retired  to  a  hall  on  the  Bowery,  and 
afterwards  to  Sixth  street.  Mr.  Miller  re- 
signed his  charge  about  the  close  of  1838. 
The  church  was  continued  on  the  minutes 
of  the  Association  until  the  year  1840,  when 
it  was  reported  vacant,  with  about  ninety 
members,  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  hav- 
ing just  then  been  dismissed  to  form  the 
«  Sixth  Street  Baptist  Church." 

The  name  of  the  Bethel  Church  is  thence- 
forth dropped  from  the  minutes.  The  meet- 
ing-house in  Delancy  street,  about  which 
there  was  such  unholy  contention,  has  been 
sold,  and  is  now  a  public  stable. 

OLIVER  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  street  now  called  Oliver  street  was 
formerly  called  "  Fayette  street,"  and  it  was 
here  that  a  portion  of  the  Second  Baptist 
Church  established  public  worship,  when  a 
separation  took  place  in  that  church  in  the 
year  1791.  Both  parties  had  claimed  the 
original  name,  but  at  length  both  relinquish- 


236  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

ed  it,  that  being  called  the  "  Bethel  Church," 
and  this,  the  "  Church  in  Fayette  street,"  and 
they  continued  to  be  known  by  that  name 
until  the  name  of  the  street  was  changed 
in  1821,  and  since  that  they  'have  been 
known  as  the  "  Oliver  Street  Church."  In 
1795  this  congregation  erected  a  house  of 
worship  on  the  corner  of  Oliver  and  Henry 
streets,  which  being  a  small  and  inconvenient 
structure,  was  rebuilt  in  five  years  after.  It 
was  again  rebuilt  more  permanently  in  1819, 
and  being  destroyed  by  fire  in  1843,  it  was 
rebuilt  as  it  now  stands,  in  the  following 
year. 

This  church  has  been  highly  favored  with 
a  regular  and  permanent  ministry,  and  it 
is  doubtless  owing  to  this,  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, that  its  course  has  been  "  upward  and 
onward,"  from  its  earliest  dates.  It  has 
enjoyed  the  labors  of  three  pastors.  The 
Rev.  John  Williams  was  sole  pastor  of  this 
church  from  1793  to  1822,  a  period  of  nearly 
thirty  years.  On  May  22,  1825,  he  was 
removed  by  death,  at  the  age  of  58.  In  the 
year  1823  the  Rev.  Spencer  H.  Cone  became 
his  colleague.  Dr.  Cone  remained  pastor 
until  July  1,  1841,  when  he  became  pastor 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  237 

of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  this  city,  and 
was  succeeded  in  October  following,  by  the 
Rev.  Elisha  Tucker,  the  present  pastor. 

SCOTCH  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  is  perhaps  the  most  convenient  title 
by  which  to  designate  a  small  body  of  pro- 
fessing Christians  still  in  existence  in  this 
city,  although  but  little  known. 

Some  time  in  the  autumn  of  1802,  Mr. 
John  Inglesby,  a  member  of  the  Fayette 
Street  Baptist  Church,  was  licensed  by  that 
church  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  not  long 
after  a  building  formerly  used  as  a  museum, 
standing  on  Greenwich  street,  was  fitted  up 
as  a  place  of  worship,  and  opened  as  such 
on  January  7,  1803,  and  Mr.  Inglesby  estab- 
lished a  meeting  there  ;  at  first  an  evening 
service  only,  but  afterwards  a  regular  Sab- 
bath service  was  attended.  The  conduct 
of  Mr.  Inglesby  was  not  approved  by  the 
church,  as  being  in  their  view  disorderly, 
and  they,  moreover,  objected  to  some  of  his 
doctrines  as  savoring  of  Antinomianism. 
But  those  who  heard  him  constantly  saw 
no  such  difficulties,  and  they  proceeded  to 

organize  themselves  as  a  church  under  his 
21 


238  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

ministry.  This  took  place  on  June  11, 
1805 ;  Rev.  Messrs.  Parkinson  of  New  York, 
Layatt  of  Newark,  and  Bryant  of  Lyon's 
Farms,  being  present  on  the  occasion.  This 
church  styled  themselves  the  "  Ebenezer  Bap- 
tist Church,"  and  Mr.  Inglesby  became  their 
pastor.  When  they  applied  to  be  received 
into  the  Association,  objections  were  made, 
and  they  have  remained  independent  to  this 
day.  In  the  course  of  the  next  year  (1806)  the 
congregation  purchased  two  lots  of  ground, 
and  built  a  house  of  worship  on  Anthony 
street,  near  West  Broadway.  After  a  few 
years  Mr.  Inglesby  resigned  his  charge,  and 
the  church  disposed  of  their  house  of  wor- 
ship, and  for  several  years  occupied  as  a  place 
of  worship,  a  small  frame  building  in  York 
street,  which  is  a  short  street  running  east 
from  the  rear  of  St.  John's  Church  to  West 
Broadway.  At  this  time  they  were  generally 
called  the  "  York  Street  Church,"  and  have 
not  been  known  since  by  their  original 
name,  which  is  now  appropriated  to  another 
church. 

About  the  year  1825,  this  church  was 
revived.  Elder  William  Ovington  became 
their  pastor,  and  they  met  for  a  time  in  a 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  239 

school-room  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and 
Reade  street.  After  a  few  years  they  re- 
moved to  a  Hall  on  Canal  street,  near  Varick, 
and  thence  to  Houston  street,  and  finally  to 
a  Hall  on  Broadway,  near  Bleecker  street, 
where  they  still  remain. 

Mr.  Ovington  retained  the  pastoral  charge 
of  this  church  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  about  the  year  1834.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Elder  McBrier,  who  remained 
about  four  years.  The  church  then  elected 
Elder  Thomas  Hogg,  who  has  the  pastoral 
charge  at  the  present  time.  The  congrega- 
tion is  quite  small,  and  about  thirty  mem- 
bers are  enrolled  in  communion. 

WELSH  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1807,  a  Baptist  church  was 
formed  in  this  city,  principally  of  Welsh 
people.  They  numbered  seventy-six  mem- 
bers in  communion  when  they  began.  The 
Rev.  John  Stephens  was  pastor.  The  con- 
gregation met  in  Mott  street,  and  kept  to- 
gether about  six  years.  Mr.  Stephens  re- 
signed his  charge  in  1811,  and  in  1813, 
being  reduced  to  forty  members,  the  church 
was  dissolved,  the  members  removing  to 


240  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

other  churches.     [See  sketch  of  the  Welsh 
Calvinistic  Methodist  Church.] 

ABYSSINIAN  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  a  colony  of  colored 
members  from  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
then  meeting  in  Gold  street.  It  was  con- 
stituted July  5,  1809.  It  was  a  small  band 
at  the  commencement  of  only  eighteen 
members,  and  for  several  years  they  had 
no  settled  pastor.  A.  house  of  worship  was 
procured  on  Anthony  street,  near  West 
Broadway,  which  had  been  erected  by  the 
Ebenezer,  or  York  Street  Church,  and  the 
church  was  regularly  supplied  with  preach- 
ing by  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Van  Velsen  and 
the  Rev.  Drake  Wilson  for  several  years,  until, 
in  1824,  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Paul  became 
stated  pastor.  Mr.  Paul  remained  with  this 
church  for  about  six  years,  when  he  left,  and 
was  succeeded  in  1832  by  the  Rev.  James 
Hayborn,  who  remained  three  years  and 
was  removed  by  death.  The  Rev.  William 
I.  Loomis  was  the  next  minister,  and  after 
him  Rev.  William  Moore  officiated.  In 
1841,  the  Rev.  Sampson  White  was  recog- 
nized as  pastor  of  this  church,  and  remains 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  241 

to  the  present  time.  The  Abyssinian 
church  has  passed  through  many  scenes  of 
trial  and  difficulty,  especially  on  account  of 
pecuniary  embarrassments,  their  house  of 
worship  having  once  been  sold  at  auction 
over  their  heads.  But  they  have  survived 
these  troubles,  and  their  prospects  are  now 
far  brighter.  In  spiritual  things  the  Lord 
has  smiled  upon  them,  and  they  now  num- 
ber more  than  four  hundred  and  fifty  mem- 
bers in -communion. 

0  NORTH  BERIAH  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  a  colony  of  about  thirty 
members  from  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
formed  November  13,  1809.  They  met  for 
worship  in  Vandam  street,  then  called  Bud 
street.  It  was  originally  known  as  the 
"  North  Church,"  and  continued  to  be  called 
by  this  name  until  1818,  when  the  name 
"  Beriah  "  was  added.  Not  long  after  the 
formation  of  this  church  a  frame  building 
was  erected  on  the  north  side  of  Vandam 
street,  between  Varick  and  Hudson,  and 
continued  to  be  the  place  of  worship  for  this 
church,  until  the  year  1819,  when  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  In  the  following  year  a  brick 
21* 


242  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

building,  large  and  commodious,  was  erected 
on  McDougal  street,  near  Vandam,  and  is 
the  present  place  of  worship  for  this  church. 
The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  C.  P.  Wyckoff,  who  commenced  his 
labors  in  1812,  and  continued  in  the  pastoral 
office  until  1821,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  Amasa  Smith.  The  church 
was  still  rather  feeble,  having  but  seventy- 
five  members,  although  they  had  been  in 
operation  more  than  ten  years.  Mr.'  Smith 
remained  with  the  Beriah  Church  less  than 
three  years,  and  was  succeeded,  in  1825, 
by  the  Rev.  Aaron  Perkins.  Mr.  Perkins 
remained  in  the  pastoral  office  here  about 
four  years,  and  was  succeeded  in  1829  by 
the  Rev.  Duncan  Dunbar.  Mr.  Dunbar  has 
been  stated  pastor  of  the  Beriah  Church  ever 
since,  with  the  exception  of  about  two  years, 
viz. :  in  1 833,  he  was  away,  and  the  Rev. 
Nathaniel  Norton  supplied  ;  and  in  1844,  he 
was  again  away,  and  the  pulpit  was  sup- 
plied by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Davies,  John 
Blower,  and  Silas  C.  James.  The  history 
of  the  Beriah  Church  is  somewhat  peculiar. 
Their  beginning  was  very  feeble,  and  for 
several  years  they  remained  so,  yet  a  very 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  243 

large  number  of  members  have  eventually 
been  gathered  into  that  church.  Three 
churches  have  arisen  from  this,  viz.,  the 
«  Salem  Church,"  in  King  street,  in  1934  ; 
"Berean,"  in  1838;  and  the  "Providence 
Church,"  in  1845,  besides  a  considerable 
number  dismissed  to  aid  in  forming  the 
Welsh  Church,  and  the  Sixteenth  Street 
Church,  both  in  1833.  About  three  hundred 
members  still  remain. 

MULBERRY  STREET   CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  in  the  year  1809, 
under  the  name  of  "James  Street  Church," 
with  thirty-seven  members,  and  it  continued 
to  be  reported  on  the  minutes  of  the  Associa- 
tion until  the  year  1838,  under  the  ministry  of 
one  man,  viz.,  Rev.  Archibald  Maclay,  D.D., 
for  the  whole  length  of  time.  Under  these 
circumstances,  it  could  not  be  supposed  that 
any  great  changes  should  mark  its  history, 
and  it  continued  uninterruptedly,  as  a  large 
and  flourishing  church.  In  June,  1838,  it 
appeared  on  the  minutes  somewhat  weak- 
ened, reporting  211  members  still  in  the 
church,  but  without  a  pastor,  Dr  Maclay 
having  resigned  his  charge,  with  a  view  of 


244  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

advancing  the  interests  of  religion  as  an 
agent  of  the  "  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society."  Pecuniary  difficulties  were  also 
pressing  hard  upon  the  congregation,  many 
more  of  the  members  left,  until,  before  ihe 
close  of  the  year,  the  church  was  reduced  to 
about  sixty  members.  Under  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  it  was  finally  thought 
best  to  dissolve  the  "  Mulberry  street 
Church,"  and  form  another,  which  was  ac- 
cordingly done;  the  old  members  who  re- 
mained, were  all  transferred  to  the  new 
Church,  and  a  large  colony  came  in  from 
the  "  Oliver  street  Church"  and  the  new 
body  took  the  name  of 

THE  "  TABERNACLE  BAPTIST  CHURCH." 

This  organization  was  accomplished  in 
the  early  part  of  the  year  1839,  when  nearly 
three  hundred  members  were  enrolled.  The 
re-organization  was  effected  with  kind  feel- 
ings, and  with  a  mutual  good  understanding. 
During  the  summer  followirig,  the  Rev. 
Benaiah  Hoe  supplied  the  pulpit,  but  in 
Nov.,  1839,  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Everts  became 
the  regular  pastor  of  the  church,  and  within 
two  years  from  that  time  very  large  acces- 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  245 

sions  were  made  to  the  church  by  profes- 
sion, so  that,  in  1842,  they  numbered  but  a 
little  short  of  one  thousand  in  communion. 
It  was  then  thought  proper,  and  no  doubt 
correctly  so,  that  the  church  should  divide. 
Accordingly  in  Dec.,  1842,  a  colony  of  more 
than  one  hundred  members  were  dismissed, 
and  taking  the  pastor  with  them,  were  con- 
stituted as  "The  Laight  Street  Baptist 
Church,"  and  removed  to  the  west  part  of 
the  city. 

On  January  7,  1844,  the  Rev.  Edward 
Lathrop  became  pastor  of  the  Tabernacle 
Church,  and  continues  in  that  office  to  the 
present  time.  The  church  is  in  a  flourish- 
ing and  healthy  state,  having  now  in  com- 
munion eight  hundred  members. 

LAIGHT  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

As  related  above,  the  Laight  Street  Bap- 
tist Church  was  a  colony  from  the  Taberna- 
cle Baptist  Church,  dismissed  for  that  pur- 
pose ;  and  joined  by  a  few  others,  they  pur- 
chased of  the  Laight  Street  Presbyterian 
Church  the  edifice  they  had  formerly  occu- 
pied, at  the  corner  of  Laight  and  Varick 
streets,  and  when  received  into  the  Associa- 


246  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

tion  in  June,  1843,  they  numbered  two  hun- 
dred in  communion,  having  received  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  by  letter,  and  seventy- 
five  by  profession.  They  number  at  this  time 
nearly  three  hundred  members.  Rev.  W.  W. 
Everts,  who  came  with  the  original  mem- 
bers from  the  Tabernacle,  is  pastor  of  the 
church. 

ZOAR   CHURCH. 

A  Baptist  church  under  this  name  was 
constituted  with  thirty-four  members,  in  the 
year  1811.  They  met  in  Rose  street,  and  the 
Rev.  Marmaduke  Earle  was  pastor.  But 
Mr.  Earle  resigned  his  charge  in  less  than  a 
year,  and  the  church  was  dissolved. 

SOUTH  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  April  25, 
1822.  It  consisted  originally  of  fifteen 
members,  but  in  a  few  months  three  more 
were  added  by  profession,  and  seven  by  letter, 
when  the  Rev.  Charles  G.  Sommers,  who 
had  been  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Troy,  became  the  pastor  of  this  church. 
They  first  occupied  the  old  German  Church 
in  Nassau  street,  near  Maiden  Lane,  and  in 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  247 

1824  the  congregation  purchased  a  stone 
building,  standing  on  Nassau  street,  between 
Fulton  and  John  streets,  which  was  built  in 
1803  by  the  Associate  Presbyterians,  to 
which  they  removed.  Here  this  church  and 
congregation  have  remained  quietly  and 
prosperously,  with  Mr.  Sommers  still  as 
pastor,  reaping  the  unquestionable  advan- 
tages of  a  permanent  ministry,  unmarked 
by  revolutions  and  changes. 

STANTON  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1823  a  Baptist  church  was 
formed  in  New  York," with  twenty-fi ve  mem- 
bers, and  called  the  "  Union  Church."  In 
the  following  year  the  Rev.  Samuel  Eastman 
became  their  minister,  and  continued  his 
labors  among  them  until  the  year  1830, 
when  he  was  dismissed  on  account  of  ill 
health.  The  church  had  then  increased  to 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  members. 
Their  place  of  worship  was  a  wooden 
building  standing  on  the  Bowery,  opposite 
Spring  street,  but  about  this  time  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  and  they  occupied  a  place  of 
worship  on  Mott  street,  above  Spring.  In 
1831  the  Rev.  George  Benedict  became 


248  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

pastor  of  the  church.  The  labors  of  Mr. 
Benedict  were  very  successful,  and  in  three 
years  the  church  had  increased  to  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-three  members,  and  the  con- 
gregation had  been  enabled  to  erect  a  con- 
venient house  of  worship  on  Stanton  street, 
which  they  opened  in  March,  1834,  and  the 
name  of  the  church  was  thenceforth  changed 
to  "  Stanton  Street  Church."  Here  Mr. 
Benedict  continued  his  labors  very  success- 
fully until  the  year  1841,  when  the  church 
under  his  care  had  increased  to  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty-eight  members,  and  the  house 
of  worship  was  filled  to  overflowing.  It 
was  then  resolved  to  colonize,  and  establish 
a  new  church.  Accordingly,  three  hundred 
and  sixty-four  members,  together  with  the 
paslor,  were  dismissed.  This  teok'place  on 
January  27, 1841,  and  though  a  trying  scene, 
it  was  accomplished  with  uninterrupted 
harmony  and  brotherly  love. 

Stanton  Street  Church  remained  destitute 
of  a  pastor  but  a  short  time,  when  the  Rev. 
David  Bellamy  was  settled,  and  remains 
with  them  to  the  present  time.  Divine  in- 
fluences have  continued  to  flow  down,  the 
places  of  those  who  removed  have  been 
supplied,  and  the  place  of  worship  is  full. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  249 

NORFOLK  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  colony  of  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  members,  who,  with  their  pastor,  the 
Rev.  George  Benedict,  were  dismissed  from 
the  Stanton  Street  Church  in  January,  1841, 
as  stated  above,  were  in  the  following  month 
constituted  a  new  church,  and  having  pur- 
chased a  meeting-house  built  by  the  "  Chris- 
tian Society"  in  1829,  standing  on  the  corner 
of  Broome  and  Norfolk  streets,  they  com- 
menced worship  in  it,  styling  themselves  the 
"  Norfolk  Street  Baptist  Church."  A  large 
congregation  was  soon  collected,  and  Mr. 
Benedict  continues  his  labors  there.  A 
divine  blessing  has  evidently  attended  the 
ministrations  of  the  Gospel,  and  "  much 
people  have  been  added  to  the  Lord." 
Almost  seven  hundred  members  are  now 
enrolled  in  that  church. 

EBENEZER  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  the  year 
1825,  and  met  for  worship  in  the  northeast- 
erly part  of  the  city.  The  church  consisted  of 
not  over  thirty  members  at  its  commence- 
ment, and  has  increased  to  a  little  over  one 
22 


250  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

hundred  at  the  present  time.  The  Rev. 
Leonard  G.  Marsh  was  their  first  pastor,  and 
is  with  them  still.  The  congregation  built 
a  small,  but  convenient  house  of  worship, 
which  was  opened  in  1838,  situated  on  Ave- 
nue A,  near  Second  street.  Their  pros- 
pects are  encouraging. 

PROVOST  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Franklin  street  was  formerly  called  Pro- 
vost street,  and  on  this  street,  a  little  west  of 
"  West  Broadway,"  then  known  as  Chapel 
street,  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  in 
1823,  measuring  40  feet  by  60,  being  a  frame 
building,  with  a  brick  front.  This  house 
was  occupied  for  a  short  time  by  a  Presby- 
terian Congregation,  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  the  Rev.  James  G.  Ogilvie :  that  congre- 
gation being  broken  up  in  the  year  1825,  the 
house  was  purchased  by  a  church  of  general 
or  open  communion  Baptists,  of  which  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Hand  was  pastor.  Very  soon 
after  this  the  Rev.  Isaac  Chase  became  pas- 
tor of  this  church,  and  continued  to  preach 
for  three  or  four  years,  when  his  health  fail- 
ed, and  he  resigned  his  charge.  The  church 
was  small  at  its  beginning,  but  increased , 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  251 

under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Chase,  to  nearly 
eighty  members.  But  after  he  left  they  had 
no  other  pastor,  and  shortly  the  church  was 
scattered,  and  became  extinct. 

The  house  of  worship  was  leased  to  the 
Fourth.  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  1832,  and  sold  to  the  same 
church  in  1838.  They  now  occupy  it 

Mr.  Chase,  not  long  after  his  dismission, 
adopted  different  views,  on  the  subject 
of  baptism,  and  united  with  the  Presbytery 
of  New  York,  but  the  state  of  his  health  did 
not  allow  him  to  engage  again  in  the  min- 
istry. He  is  now  the  American  Consul  at 
Cape  Town,  South  Africa. 

NORTH  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  with  fourteen 
members,  in  the  year  1828,  and  it  was  sup- 
plied for  a  time  by  the  Rev.  John  Gibbs. 
They  met  for  worship  in  Greenwich  village, 
and  were  at  that  time  the  most  northerly  of 
I-  any  Baptist  Church  in  the  city.    In  1828,  the 
*  church  obtained  as  a  pastor  the  Rev.  Jacob 
H.  Brouner,  who  had  been  pastor  of  a  Bap- 
tist Church,  at  Mount  Pleasant.     The  con- 
gregation suffered  some  for  want  of  a  con- 


252  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

venient  house  of  worship,  but  this  however 
was  attained  in  the  year  1831,  by  the  erec- 
tion of  a  commodious  building,  measuring 
64  feet  by  50,  standing  at  the  corner  of 
Bedford  and  Christopher  streets.  The  build- 
ing was  commenced  in  the  previous  year, 
but  it  advanced  slowly,  and  when  the  church 
commenced  to  hold  meetings  in  the  house, 
in  the  early  part  of  1831,  it  was  "neither 
ceiled  nor  pewed."  However  they  have 
now  a  good  house,  and  a  considerably  nu- 
merous congregation.  The  seats  in  their 
house  are  free.  More  than  three  hundred 
are  in  connection  with  the  church.  Mr. 
Brouner  is  still  their  minister. 

CANNON  STREET  BAPTIST  CHUCRH. 

In  the  year  1827,  there  was  formed  in 
New  York,  a  small  Baptist  Church  of  twenty- 
five  members,  called  the  "  Mission  Church," 
having  for  their  minister,  the  Rev.  John 
C.  Murphy.  They  occupied  as  a  place  of 
worship  a  building  called"  The  Mission 
House,"  on  Broome  street,  between  Can- 
non and  Lewis  streets.  Mr.  Murphy  con- 
tined  with  them  about  two  years,  and  the 
church  struggled  along,  though  with  dimi- 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  253 

nished  numbers,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
William  Curtis,  for  a  year  or  two  longer. 
While  these  things  were  going  on  in  the 
year  1829,  another  small  church  of  fifteen 
members  was  formed,  which  met  for  worship 
in  a  hall,  in  the  Iron  works,  on  Rivington 
street,  and  removed  from  thence  to  a  hall  on 
Grand  street  This  was  called  "  The  East 
Baptist  church,"  and  the  Rev.  John  Middle, 
ton  was  their  minister.  Considerable  suc- 
cess attended  his  labors,  and  efforts  were  put 
forth  to  obtain  a  house  of  worship,  which  at 
one  time  seemed  about  to  be  realized.  But 
after  nearly  five  years  no  house  was  built. 
Mr.  Middleton  left,  and  the  church  was 
dwindling  away. 

In  1833,  in  view  of  the  state  of  the 
"  Mission  Church,"  then  just  expiring,  an 
effort  was  made  to  get  up  a  new  interest, 
and  another  church  was  formed  of  thirty- 
eight  members,  part  of  which  were  dismissed 
at  that  time  from  the  Oliver  Street  Church, 
and  a  part  were  the  fragments  that  remained 
of  the  "  Mission  Church."  This  was  called 
"The  Broome  Street  Church."  Of  this 
church  the  Rev.  John  Mitchell  became  pas- 
tor, and  ^remained  a  li ttle  over  a  year,  when 
22* 


354  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Israel 
Robords,  and  he  by  the  Rev.  John  Blain. 
Yet  after  considerable  accessions,  so  that  at 
one  lime  they  numbered  over  two  hundred 
in  communion,  and  in  one  year  reporting  a 
revival  that  brought  in  at  least  one  hundred 
by  profession,  still  the  church  was  in  a  feeble 
and  scattering  condition.  Such  was  the 
state  of  this  church  towards  the  close  of  the 
year  1838.  At  this  time  a  union  was  effected 
between  the  "  East  Baptist  Church"  and  the 
"  Broome  Street  Church,"  though  all  the 
members  in  both  churches  did  not  come  in. 
There  were  reported  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  members  in  the  "  East  Church"  in 
June,  1838,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
members  in  the  "  Broome  Street  Church" 
and  yet,  in  June,  1839,  when  they  were 
reported  as  one  church,  under  the  name  of 
the  "  East  Broome  Street  Church,"  they  re- 
ported but  two  hundred  and  forty -four  mem- 
bers, and  had  received  twenty-five  of  this 
number  by  profession  after  the  union,  leaving 
more  than  one  hundred  members  unac- 
counted for. 

The  new  church  ("  East  Broome  Street") 
occupied  the  "  Mission  House,"  on  Broome 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  255 

street,  between  Cannon  and  Lewis  streets, 
with  Rev.  Zelotes  Grenell  as  their  pastor,— 
an  active,  consistent,  and  devoted  minister. 
In  the  course  of  the  next  year  ground  was 
purchased  on  which  to  erect  a  church  edifice, 
situated  on  Cannon  street,  near  Broome 
street,  and  under  the  favor  of  Him,  whose  is 
the  silver  and  gold,  and  the  cattle  upon  a 
thousand  hills,  the  building  was  carried  for- 
ward ;  and  on  March  4th,  1841,  the  house 
was  opened  for  public  worship,  and  the 
church- was  thenceforth  called  the  "  Cannon 
Street  Church."  The  labors  of  Mr.  Greneli 
were  signally  blessed,  so  that  up  to  June, 
1842,  more  than  four  hundred  persons  had 
been  enrolled  in  communion.  But  during 
that  year  he  resigned  the  pastoral  office  in 
this  church,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
Henry  Davis,  the  present  pastor.  The  favor 
of  the  Lord  has  still  been  vouchsafed,  so  that 
there  is  now  found  assembling  at  Cannon 
street  a  numerous  congregation,  with  nearly 
seven  hundred  members  in  communion ; 
and,  under  the  charge  of  a  very  efficient 
superintendent,  there  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  interesting  Sabbath  schools  in  the 
city. 


256  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

ELIZABETH  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1824,  the  Rev.  Amasa  Smith, 
who  had  then  recently  resigned  the  pastoral 
office  in  the  Beriah  Church,  commenced 
preaching  in  a  schoolroom  on  Elizabeth 
street,  near  Bleecker, — a  place  then  well 
known  as  the  "  Bethel  Free  School- House." 
After  about  two  years  a  church  was  formed 
called  the  "  Elizabeth  Street  Church,"  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Hudson  River  Associa- 
tion in  August,  1827,  with  twenty-four  mem- 
bers, and  the  Rev.  William  G.  Miller  as  pas- 
tor. For  three  years  the  church  was  in  suc- 
cessful operation,  so  that  in  August,  1830> 
they  reported  one  hundred  and  three  mem- 
bers in  communion.  This  is  the  last  account 
of  the  Elizabeth  Street  Church  as  such,  and 
their  name  is  thenceforth  dropped  from  the 
minutes.  In  the  following  year,  however, 
Mr.  Miller  appeared  in  the  New  York  Asso- 
ciation as  pastor  of  the  Bethel  Church,  in 
opposition  to  the  Rev.  Johnson  Chase.  An 
account  of  this  difficulty  has  been  sketched 
on  a  previous  page. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  257 

LAURENS  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  Baptist  Church  in  Laurens  street  was 
gathered  by  the  labors  of  the  Rev.  William 
Thompson,  and  regularly  constituted  in  1828* 
A  place  of  worship  was  prepared  in  a  con- 
venient upper  room,  and  here  the  church  re- 
mains. Mr.  Thompson  left  after  a  few  years, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Luke 
Barker,  M.  D.  Dr.  Barker  remains  pastor  of 
the  church.  The  congregation  is  small, — the 
church  containing  seventy-seven  members. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  DISCIPLES. 

Such  is  the  style  adopted  by  a  small  band 
who  came  out  from  the  Laurens  Street 
Church  about  the  year  1835.  The  matters 
of  difference,  which  led  to  the  separation, 
were  some  matters  relating  to  form  and  dis- 
cipline, and  not  any  difference  in  doctrine. 
For  some  time  they  worshipped  in  "  Concert 
Hall,"  where  about  thirty  persons  were  con- 
stituted as  a  church.  In  1837  they  built  a 
small  house  of  worship  in  the  rear  of  No.  80 
Greene  street,  where  they  continue  to  meet. 
Their  present  number  in  communion  is 
about  one  hundred  and  forty.  Elders  E. 


258  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Parmly  and  John  Hassel  are  ministers.    The 
church  is  strictly  independent. 

EMMAUS  CHURCH. 

Some  time  previous  to  the  year  1830,  Mr. 
Jonathan  Cossington,  a  Baptist  preacher, 
opened  a  meeting  in  a  hall  on  Christie  street, 
and  after  about  a  year  he  was  succeeded  by 
Elder  Benjamin  Pitcher,  who  organized  a 
Baptist  Church  of  a  few  members,  calling  it 
the  "  Emmaus  Church."  It  was  not  in  con- 
nection with  any  other  in  the  city.  Mr. 
Pitcher  continued  preaching  here  three  or 
four  years,  when,  in  the  spring  of  1836,  he 
became  pastor  of  the  Salem  Baptist  Church, 
in  King  street,  and  the  Emmaus  Church 
broke  up,  and  went  with  him. 

AMITY  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  1832  a  colony  of  forty-four  members 
was  dismissed  from  the  Oliver  Street  Church, 
to  be  constituted  as  a  distinct  body.  They 
met  for  worship  in  the  Broadway  Hall,  near 
Grand  street,  under  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
William  R.  Williams,  a  licentiate  of  the  Oli- 
ver Street  Church,  who  subsequently  be- 
came pastor.  The  parent  church  granted 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  259 

them  a  lot  of  ground  on  the  Baptist  burying- 
ground  in  Amity  street,  and  here  a  house  of 
worship  was  erected  and  opened  in  May, 
1834.  Here  they  have  quietly  remained, 
with  no  great  revolutions  to  mark  their 
history.  Rev.  Dr.  Williams  is  still  pastor, 
with  a  flourishing  church  and  congregation 
around  him. 

ZION  CHURCH.. 

This  is  a  Baptist  Church  of  colored 
people,  and  it  was  constituted  with  thirty- 
three  members  in  the  year  1832.  They  used 
as  a  place  of  worship,  a  hall  on  Spring 
street,  between  Varick  and  Hudson  street, 
and  afterwards  removed  to  Duane  street. 
For  several  years  the  church  had  no  stated 
pastor,  and  was  supplied  by  various  preach- 
ers, colored  or  white,  as  they  could  be  ob- 
tained. The  Rev.  J.  T.  Raymond,  Rev.  J. 
W.  Gibbs,  and  the  Rev.  N.  H.  Whiting, 
were  among  those  who  officiated  in  the 
ministry  with  this  church,  which  had  in- 
creased considerably,  so  that  in  1840  they 
numbered  nearly  two  hundred  in  commu- 
nion. Toward  the  close  of  the  previous 
year  the  congregation  hired  a  house  of 


260  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

worship,  standing  in  the  rear  of  No.  488  Pearl 
street,  to  which  they  removed,  and  where 
they  still  remain.  In  the  summer  of  18407 
the  Rev.  D.  Scott  took  the  pastoral  charge, 
but  resigned  it  again  in  about  a  year.  Again 
the  people  were  left  destitute  for  more  than 
a  year,  but  in  the  early  part  of  1843  the 
Rev.  Stephen  Dutton  of  Buffalo,  a  respect- 
able colored  preacher,  was  obtained  as  stated 
pastor  of  the  church,  and  remains  to  the 
present  time.  Much  success  has  crowned 
the  efforts  of  this  people.  They  have  a  large 
congregation,  and  enrol  in  communion  four 
hundred  and  forty-six  members. 

BOWERY,  OR  CENTRAL  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

In  March,  1833,  Mr.  Octavius  Winslow, 
a  licentiate  of  the  Oliver  Street  Church, 
commenced  preaching  in  the  "  Military 
Hall,"  on  the  Bowery,  and  soon  after  a 
church  of  twenty  members  was  organized. 
After  remaining  for  about  a  year  in  this 
place,  they  removed  to  the  "  Broadway 
Hall,"  then  just  vacated  by  the  Amity  Street 
Church,  who  had  removed  to  their  new 
meeting-house.  At  this  time  the  name  of 
the  church  was  changed  to  that  of  the  "  Cen- 
tral Church,  and  a  moderate  degree  of  pros- 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  261 

perity  seemed  to  attend  them.  In  the  early 
part  of  1836,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow,  who 
had  been  ordained  as  pastor,  resigned  the 
charge,  and  removed  to  the  Second  Baptist 
Church  in  Brooklyn.  He  was  soon  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  William  H.  Card,  and 
the  congregation  removed  from  Broadway 
to  a  hired  building  on  Fourth  street,  near  the 
East  River.  The  state  of  religious  feeling 
in  the  church  was  encouraging  for  a  while, 
and  their  numbers  increased.  But  a  reverse 
succeeded.  In  about  a  year  they  felt  con- 
strained to  relinquish  their  place  of  worship, 
and  part  with  their  minister.  The  members 
of  the  church  met  together  for  prayer  for  a 
short  season,  and  then  scattered  to  other 
churches. 

WELSH  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  Welsh  Church  was  a  colony  from 
the  North  Beriah  Church,  consisting  original- 
ly of  sixty  members,  and  they  were  consti- 
tuted as  a  distinct  church  in  the  year  1833. 
They  occupied  for  several  years  a  Hall  at 
183  Canal  street,  thence  they  removed  to  43 
Elizabeth  street,  where  they  remained  two 
years,  and  in  1844,  they  succeeded  in  the 


262  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

erection  of  a  small  brick  building  on  Chris- 
tie street,  below  Delancy,  which  they  call 
the  "  Welsh  .Tabernacle."  Here  they  re- 
main. The  first  minister  who  supplied  this 
church  was  the  Rev.  William  Thomas,  who 
remained  a  year  or  two,  and  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  William  Harris,  in  1836,  who 
held  the  pastoral  office  four  years,  resigning 
his  charge  in  1840.  The  church  was  then 
very  weak,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  they 
kept  on;  but  in  the  following  year  their 
spirits  were  somewhat  revived  by  the  arrival 
of  the  Rev.  David  Phillips  from  Wales, 
who  labored  with  them  for  a  year  or  more. 
After  Mr.  Phillips  left,  the  church  was  sup- 
plied by  Rev.  M.  I.  Williams.  In  1844, 
the  present  pastor  of  the  church,  the  Rev. 
Theophilus  Jones,  commenced  his  labors. 
The  church  is  small  and  feeble,  but  com- 
pared with  former  days,  more  encouraging. 

SIXTEENTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  origin  of  this  church  is  interesting. 
A  pious  man  living  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Sixteenth  street,  near  the  North  river, 
made  an  effort  to  collect  a  Sabbath  School 
in  that  part  of  the  city.  Such  had  been  his 


BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

privations  in  early  life,  that  he  had  never 
learnt  to  read ;  but  he  was  a  Christian  man, 
and  could  pray,  and  having  engaged  some 
young  persons  to  come  in  and  teach  the 
classes,  he  took  the  superintendence  of  the 
school,  until  he  could  procure  some  one 
whom  he  judged  better  qualified  than  himself 
to  take  his  place.  In  connection  with  this 
school,  prayer  meetings  were  soon  held,  and 
after  that  occasional  preaching  was  enjoyed. 
These  means,  feeble  as  they  were,  excited 
considerable  interest,  and  led  to  the  organi- 
zation of  a  church  of  eighteen  members,  on 
Oct  8, 1833.  On  the  21st  of  the  same  month, 
the  Rev.  David  Bernard  commenced  preach- 
ing to  this  church  in  a  small  wooden  build- 
ing on  the  south  side  of  Eighteenth  street, 
a  little  east  of  the  Eighth  avenue.  That 
building  is  still  standing  in  the  rear  of  some 
brick  houses.  Mr.  Bernard  labored  with 
this  church  for  three  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  James  L.  Hodge,  who 
became  pastor  Jan.  24,  1838.  Mr.  Hodge 
remained  only  until  the  following  Novem- 
ber. 

In  the  year  succeeding,  their  present  large 
and   commodious  house  of  worship  was 


264  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

built  at  a  cost  of  but  little  short  of  $20,000, 
including  the  ground  on  which  it  stands. 
The  present  pastor  of  the  church,  the  Rev. 
Alonzo  Wheelock,  accepted  their  call  in 
July,  1840.  They  have  been  greatly  bless- 
ed. The  congregation  is  large ;  the  church  has 
increased  to  six  hundred  and  thirty-three 
members ;  and  the  Sabbath  School,  from 
which  the  whole  thing  sprang,  and  which 
commenced  with  eleven  children,  now  num- 
bers more  than  six  hundred. 

BLOOMINGDALE  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  is  a  branch  of  the  Sixteenth  street 
Church,  and  is  located  on  the  corner  of 
Forty-third  street  and  Eighth  avenue.  Seve- 
ral members  of  the  Sixteenth  Street  Church 
resided  in  that  neighborhood,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1842,  a  Sabbath  School  was  es- 
tablished. At  the  same  time  preaching  was 
maintained  by  the  city  mission,  and  on  Feb. 
21,  1843,  a  church  of  twenty-four  members 
was  organized,  and  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Card, 
who  had  been  the  missionary  there,  became 
the  pastor.  During  that  year  a  meeting 
house  was  built.  It  is  a  neat  frame  build- 
ing, measuring  40  feet  by  60.  Mr.  Card 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  965 

remained  pastor  until  1845,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  Mr.  Spencer,  the  present  pas- 
tor; ninety-two  members  are  reported  in 
communion. 

SALEM  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  constituted  in  October 
1834,  and  consisted  of  thirty-seven  mem- 
bers, who  withdrew  from  the  North  Beriah 
Church  at  that  time,  connecting  themselves 
with  the  Warwick  Association.  The  first 
place  of  worship  they  occupied  was  a 
school-room  in  Smith  street,  where  they  re- 
mained about  a  year  and  a  half,  supplied  for 
most  of  the  time  by  Elder  Loomis.  After 
this,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  on  King 
street  near  Hudson,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$6,000,  and  the  church  removed  there,  with 
Elder  Benjamin  Pitcher  for  their  minister, 
for  about  two  years.  He  was  succeeded  by 
the  Rev.  John  Y.  Felty,  and  he  by  Elder 
James  C.  Goble.  In  the  autumn  of  1843, 
Elder  William  Curtis  became  pastor  of  this 
church,  and  resigned  the  charge  in  June, 
1845.  At  this  time  the  congregation  had 
become  weakened,  and  the  church  was  re- 
duced to  about  40  members,  and  being  des- 
23* 


266  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

titute  of  a  stated  pastor,  they  leased  their 
house  of  worship  to  a  society  of  Wesleyan 
Methodists,  occupying  the  lecture  room 
themselves,  and  holding  prayer  meetings  at 
private  houses.  This  is  their  present  state. 

WEST  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  was  a  colony  of  eighty-eight  mem- 
bers from  the  Mulberry  street  Church,  who, 
believing  they  could  be  more  useful,  sepa- 
rated from  the  church  in  perfect  harmony, 
and  were  constituted  a  distinct  band  in  the 
year  1835.  They,  however,  remained  with- 
out a  pastor  for  nearly  two  years ;  but  near 
the  beginning  of  1837,  the  Rev.  John  Dow- 
ling  took  the  pastoral  charge  of  this  church, 
Ahouse  of  worship,  situated  in  Duane  street, 
near  Chatham,  which  had  been  occupied  by 
a  Universalist  Society,  was  hired  and  oc- 
cupied by  the  West  Church.  Their  num- 
ber in  communion  was  then  one  hundred 
and  thirty-six,  and  in  the  following  year 
a  farther  increase  was  reported  ;  but 
from  some  cause  or  other,  they  thought  it 
best  to  disband,  and  did  so  in  1838,  most 
of  the  members  joining  the  Tabernacle 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  267 

Church^ and  their  name  was  dropped  from 
the  minutes  without  remark. 

BEREAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  Berean  Church  was  a  colony  of  sixty 
members  dismissed  from  the  North  Beriah 
Church,  in  the  year  1838,  of  which  the  Rev. 
Aaron  Perkins  became  pastor.  They  first 
met  for  worship  in  King  street,  but  in  1841, 
a  very  substantial  brick  edifice  was  erected, 
at  the  corner  of  Bedford  and  Downing  streets, 
measuring  80  feet  by  60,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$20,000.  It  is  capable  of  seating  twelve 
hundred  persons.  It  is  a  large  and  flourish- 
ing congregation,  and  more  than  four  hun- 
dred members  are  enrolled  in  communion. 
The  Rev.  John  Bowling  is  the  present 
pastor,  having  succeeded  Mr.  Perkins  in 
1844. 

SIXTH  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  April,  1840, 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  members,  who 
were  dismissed  for  this  purpose  from  that 
portion  of  the  Bethel  Church  which  had  been 
under  the  pastorship  of  the  Rev.  William  G. 


268  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Miller,  and  was  now  about  to  disband.  Of 
this  new  church,  the  Rev.  John  O.  Choules 
became  pastor.  Previously  to  the  dismission 
of  Mr.  Miller  they  had  purchased  a  house 
of  worship  in  Sixth  street,  near  the  Bow- 
ery, for  $14,000,  which  had  been  built  and 
occupied  by  St.  Timothy's  Church  (Epis- 
copal), and  which  was  about  to  be  sold  under 
foreclosure  of  mortgage.  Here  this  church 
commenced  operations,  under  very  encou- 
raging circumstances.  The  location  of  the 
church  was  thought,  however,  to  be  on  some 
accounts  rather  unfavorable ;  and  in  the  early 
part  of  1843,  they  sold  the  building  to  an 
Episcopal  Society  (the  Church  of  the  Re- 
demption), paid  all  their  debts,  and  had 
a  balance  on  hand,  intending  to  build  on 
some  better  location,  and  the  church  and 
congregation  removed  temporarily  to  the 
hall  of  the  "  Stuyvesant  Institute,"  on  Broad- 
way. But  various  discouragements  occurred, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1844,  Mr.  Choules  re- 
signed the  charge ;  and  in  the  summer  of 
1845,  the  few  members  that  remained,  took 
their  dismissions  to  other  bodies,  and  this 
church  became  extinct. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  269 

PARTICULAR  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

On  the  first  Sabbath  in  January,  1841,  a 
meeting  was  commenced  in  a  hall  near  the 
corner  of  Catharine  and  Cherry  streets,  by 
the  Rev.  Job  Plant,  a  Baptist  minister  from 
England,  then  recently  arrived  in  the  city. 
He  continued  preacher  at  this  place  for  about 
a  year,  in  the  course  of  which  a  church  was 
formed,  consisting  of  from  twenty  to  thirty 
members,  but  unconnected  with  any  other 
Baptist  Church  in  the  city,  styling  themselves 
"  Particular  Baptists.''  In  the  following  year 
the  congregation  removed  to  a  hall  on  Grand 
street,  and  after  a  term  of  time,  removed 
again  to  a*  small  house  of  worship  on  Eliza- 
beth street,  between  Walker  and  Hester 
streets.  The  congregation  was  never  large, 
and  the  communicants  probably  never  ex- 
ceeded forty.  About  midsummer  in  1844, 
Mr.  Plant  left,  and  the  church,  which  was 
then  reduced  to  about  twenty  members,  was 
scattered  and  became  extinct. 

BAPTIST  SEAMEN'S  BETHEL. 

This  church  was  formed  for  the  special 
advantage  of  seamen,  in  the  year  1843. 


270 


BAPTIST  CHURCH. 


Twenty-three  members  were  at  first  enrol- 
led. They  have  not  yet  obtained  a  house  of 
worship,  but  occupy  a  hall  on  Catharine 
street,  near  Cherry  street.  The  church  has 
increased  to  more  than  sixty  members.  The 
Rev.  I.  R.  Steward  is  pastor. 

MOUNT  ZION  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

On  July  16th,  1343,  a  Baptist  Church  un- 
der the  above  title  was  constituted,  consist- 
ing of  sixteen  members,  most  of  whom  were 
dismissed  from  the  Bethesda  Baptist  Church. 
They  procured  as  a  place  of  worship  the 
lecture  room  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church,  on  the  corner  of  Prince  and  Marion 
streets,  where  they  -have  remained  to  ~the 
present  time.  Elder  James  C.  Goble  was 
unanimously  called  as  their  stated  pastor. 
The  church  has  increased  to  about  fifty 
members,  but  the  congregation  is  not  large. 

FOURTH  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  origin  of  this  church  is  thus  stated  in 
the  minutes  of  the  Association  :  "  A  few 
members  of  the  Norfolk  Street  Church,  with 
the  unqualified  approbation  of  the  church  of 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  271 

which  they  were  members,  procured  a  place 
of  worship  on  Fourth  street,  near  the  East 
river,  with  the  view  of  forming  a  new  interest. 
After  deliberate  consideration,  and  earnest 
prayer,  forty-seven  brethren  and  sisters  were 
publicly  recognized  as  the  "  Fourth  Street 
Baptist  Church."  This  took  place  May 
llth,  1843.  The  Rev.  John  Cookson  be- 
came iheir  pastor,  ^ut  he  was  succeeded  in 
the  next  year  by  the  Rev.  L.  Cqvell,  who  re- 
signed the  charge  in  the  summer  of  1845. 
The  church  has  increased  to  more  than 
one  hundred  and  thirty  members,  though  as 
yet  they  have  no  house  of  worship  which 
they  can  call  their  own.  Rev.  J.  T.  Seely 
is  the  present  minister. 

ELEVENTH  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  with  a  small 
number  of  members,  in  March,  1843.  The 
Rev.  S.  Corey  soon  became  pastor,  and  is 
still  with  them.  In  the  course  of  that  year 
their  house  of  worship  was  built.  It  is  a 
neat  brick  edifice,  standing  on  Eleventh 
street,  between  the  Third  and  Fourth  ave- 
nues. The  church  has  been  prospered  in 


272  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

spiritual  things,  having  received,   by  profes- 
sion, eighty-four  persons  in  two  years. 

HARLEM  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  October, 
1844.  It  is  a  small  band  of  twenty-six  mem- 
bers, but  they  have  as  yet  neither  house  of 
worship  nor  pastor.  ^ 

PROVIDENCE  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

On  November  27th,  1845,  a  church  by  this 
name  was  organized,  who  met  for  some 
months  in  a  hall  in  the  lower  part  of  Canal 
street.  Ninety-three  members  were  enrolled, 
all  being  dismissed  from  the  Beriah  Church 
in  McDougal  street.  The  Rev.  S.  C.  James 
supplied  their  pulpit  for  some  time,  but  in 
the  spring  of  1846,  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Braine,  who 
had  been  pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church 
in  the  city,  became  pastor  of  this  church,  and 
continues  in  that  office.  The  congregation 
now  occupy  a  hall  at  the  corner  of  Hudson 
and  Grove  streets,  with  an  increasing  as- 
sembly. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH.  273 

CHRISTIAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

After  the  breaking  up  of  the  Particular 
Baptist  Church,  as  related  on  a  previous 
page,  a  few  of  the  members  continued  to  hold 
prayer  meetings,  and  after  nearly  a  year 
spent  in  this  way,  in  July,  1845,  four  per- 
sons covenanted  together  as  a  church,  taking 
no  other  name  than  that  of  a  Christian  Bap- 
tist Church.  They  occupy  the  building  in 
Elizabeth  street,  occupied  before  by  the 
Particular  Baptists.  Mr.  Edmund  Thorn- 
ton is  the  officiating  minister. 


DATES  OF  THE  BAPTIST  CHURCHES  NOW 
EXISTING  IN  NEW  YORK  CITY,  WITH  THE 
NUMBER  OF  MEMBERS  IN  EACH,  AS  RE- 
PORTED IN  1845. 

Date  Mem. 

First  Church, 1762  586 

Bethel  Church  (under  Mr.  Chase) 1770  50 

Oliver  Street  Church, 1791  633 

Scotch  Baptist  Church, 1805  30 

Abyssini?a    Church, 1809  451 

North  Beriah  Church 1809  300 

South  Church, 1822  458 

Stanton  Street  Church, 1823  579 

Ebenezer  Church 1825  107 

North  Church, 1827  314 

Laurens  Street  Church 1828  77 

Zion  Church, 1832  446 

Amity  Street  Church, 1832  254 

Welsh  Church, 1833  68 

24 


274  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Sixteenth  Street  Church, 1833  626 

Salem  Baptist  Church, 1834  40 

Church  of  the  Disciples, 1 835  130 

Berean  Church, 1838  411 

Cannon  Street  Church, 1838  670 

Tabernacle  Baptist  Church, 1839  801 

Bethesda   Church 1841  88 

Norfolk  Street  Church, 1841  695 

Laight  Street  Church, 1842  298 

JBloomingdale  Church, 1843  92 

Seamen's  Bethel  Church, 1843  65 

Fourth  Street  Church, 1843  139 

Eleventh  Street  Church 1843  163 

Mount  Zion  Baptist  Church, 1843  50 

Harlem  Baptist  Church, 1844  26 

Providence  Church, 1845  93 

Christian  Church  (Elizabeth  street) 1 845  4 

Churches  31  Members  8,744 

LIST  OF  CHURCHES  ONCE  FORMED  AND  NOW 
EXTINCT. 

Formed.  Dissoly. 

Baptist  Arminian  Church, 1724  1732 

Welsh  Church, 1807  1813 

Mulberry  Street  Church, 1 809  1 839 

Zoar  Church, 1811  1812 

Provost  Street  Church, 1825  1 829 

Mission  Church, 1827  1833 

Elizabeth  Street  Church, 1827  1830 

East  Baptist  Church, 1829  1838 

Einmaus  Church, 1830  1836 

Bethel  Church  (under  Mr.  Miller), 1831  1840 

Broome  Street  Church, 1833  1838 

Bowery,  or  Central  Church, 1833  1838 

West  Church, 1835  1838 

Sixth  Street  Church, 1840  1845 

Particular  Baptist,.,,, ,.;.,1841  1-844 

Churches  15 


MORAVIAN  CHURCH. 
1748. 


IN  tracing  the  history  of  the  Moravian  Church, 
or  Church  of  the  United  Brethren, — as  it  is 
also  called,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  we  are  led 
back  something  more  than  one  hundred 
years.  It  was  in  the  year  1736  that  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Spangenberg  and  Nitschman,  two 
Bishops  of  the  Moravian  Church,  arrived  in 
New  York  from  Germany,  on  their  way  to 
Pennsylvania.  During  a  brief  stay  in  this 
city  they  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  John 
Noble,  who  was  at  that  time  a  ruling  elder 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  "Wall  street, 
then  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Pemberton.  Mr.  Noble  was  a  man  of 
estimable  character,  as  well  as  a  man  of 
wealth.  He  subsequently  withdrew  from 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  was  a  leading 
man  in  the  Moravian  Church  until  his  death. 


276  MORAVIAN  CHURCH. 

Mr.  Beomper,  another  merchant,  was  asso- 
ciated with  Mr.  Noble  at  this  time.  A  few 
meetings  for  social  worship  were  held  at  that 
time  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Noble,  but  when 
the  two  bishops  left  the  city,  the  meetings 
were  discontinued,  and  all  things  remained 
as  they  were  for  about  three  years. 

In  the  year  1739  the  Rev.  Martin  Mock 
and  the  Rev.  Henry  Rauch,  two  missionaries 
from  the  Moravian  Church  in  Germany, 
landed  in  New  York.  The  meetings  for  re- 
ligious worship  were  then  renewed  ;  and  in 
a  little  more  than  a  year  'after  this,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1741,  the  Rev.  Peter 
Boehler,  a  bishop  of  the  Moravian  Church, 
came  to  New  York  for  the  purpose  of  em- 
barking for  Europe, — accompanied  thus  far 
by  Bishop  Nitschman,  who  had  been  here 
five  years  previous.  During  their  slay  in  the 
city  meetings  were  frequently  held,  and  con- 
siderable interest  excited;  and  before  they 
left,  a  society  of  nine  persons  was  formed, 
who  continued  to  assemble  for  social  wor- 
ship. Towards  the  close  of  that  year  Count 
Zinzindorf,  the  founder  of  the  Moravian 
Church  in  Germany,  arrived  fri  New  York, 
with  a  considerable  colony  of  Moravians,  on 


MORAVIAN  CHURCH.  277 

their  way  to  Pennsylvania.  His  presence 
greatly  encouraged  the  brethren  at  New 
York.  He  tarried  but  afew  days,  but  before 
he  left  he  appointed  elders  from  among  them- 
selves, and  thus  things  remained  until  the 
year  1748.  Up  to  this  time  meetings  had 
been  held  for  reading  the  Scriptures,  prayer, 
and  singing,  but  they  had  enjoyed  no  sac- 
raments. 

In  December,  1748,  the  Rev.  Johannes  de 
Wattivel,  a  Bishop  of  the  Moravian  Church, 
came  from  Europe,  and,  while  he  tarried  in 
New  York,  he  made  a  regular  organization 
of  the  church,  and  administered  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  total  number  in  the  congrega- 
tion at  this  time  was  less  than  one  hundred, 
and  for  two  years  they  met  for  worship  in 
the  house  of  Mr.  Noble. 

In  the  year  1751  the  congregation  pur- 
chased two  lots  of  ground  on  what  was  then 
Fair  street — now  Fulton  street,  between 
William  and  Dutch  streets,  where  they 
erected  a  small  frame  building.  The  corner- 
stone was  laid  by  the  Rev.  Owen  Rice,  June 
16th,  1751,  and  the  building  was  dedicated 
by  Bishop  Spangenberg  on  the  18th  of  June, 
in  the  following  year.  Here  was  their  place 
24* 


278  MORAVIAN  CHURCH. 

of  worship  for  almost  80  years.  Here  the 
fathers  worshipped  and  went  down  to  the 
grave ;  and  here,  also,  the  children  succeeded, 
and  the  third  generation  came,  and  the  house 
was  filled.  In  the  year  1829  the  old  house 
of  worship  was  taken  down,  and  rebuilt  of 
brick,  40  feet  wide  and  60  feet  long.  The 
corner-stone  of  this  edifice  was  laid  August 
13th,  and  the  building  was  dedicated  by 
Bishop  Anders,  on  the  29th  of  November,  in 
the  same  year.  In  1836,  Fulton  street  was 
widened,  and  it  became  necessary  to  cut  off 
eight  feet  of  the  building.  In  1843,  it  was 
thought  advisable  to  remove  the  place  of 
worship,  and  the  church  edifice  was  taken 
down,  and  the  ground  sold.  A  new  pur- 
chase was  made  of  ground  on  the  corner  of 
Houston  and  Mott  streets,  and  a  large  and 
substantial  brick  building  erected,  which  was 
opened  for  worship  June  29th,  1845. 

One  singular  circumstance  may  properly 
be  noticed.  When  the  church  edifice  on 
Fulton  street  was  taken  down,  the  corner- 
stone was  preserved,  together  with  the  box 
which  was  deposited  underneath  it  in  1829, 
and,  in  digging  up  the  other  parts  of  the 
foundation,  the  corner-stone  of  the  old  first 
building  was  also  found  in  a  good  state  of 


MORAVIAN  CHURCH.  279 

preservation.  These  were  both  deposited  in 
the  foundation  of  the  church  on  Houston 
street,  with  a  third  stone,  specially  appro- 
priated to  that  building. 

The  pastoral  office  in  the  Moravian 
Church  in  New  York  has  been  held  by  a 
considerable  number  of  very  respectable 
clergymen,  but  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  fix 
the  precise  dates  of  their  accession  or  resig- 
nation. The  Rev.  Owen  Rice  labored  with 
this  congregation  soon  after  the  organization 
of  the  church,  and  was  with  them  previous 
to  the  erection  of  their  first  house  of  worship 
in  1751.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Yarrell  held 
the  pastoral  office  from  1757  to  1765,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  G.  Neiser, 
who  remained  here  ten  years.  In  1775,  the 
Rev.  Gustavus  Shewkirk  ministered  in  this 
church  for  a  short  time,  until  the  revolutiona- 
ry war  broke  up  this  congregation,  as  it  did 
most  others  in  the  city.  After  the  peace, 
and  when  order  was  restored  in  the  city,  the 
congregation  again  collected,  with  the  Rev. 
Ludolph  A.  Rusmeyer  as  pastor.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  James  Birkby,  and 
he  by  the  Rev.  Godfrey  Peters,  who  died 
here  October  27,  1797.  He  was  the  first 
minister  who  had  died  while  in  the  service 

% 


280  MORAVIAN  CHURCH. 

• 

of  this  church.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Meder,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Bardill,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Moulther, 
successively  officiated  in  this  church,  the 
last  named  for  seven  years,  closing  his  min- 
istry with  the  year  1812.  In  that  year  the 
Rev.  Benjamin  Mortimer,  who  had  been  a 
missionary  among  the  Indians,  succeeded 
to  the  pastoral  office  in  this  church,  and 
labored  faithfully  and  successfully  for  seven- 
teen years,  until  he  was  removed  by  death 
in  1829.  When  Mr.  Mortimer  became  in- 
firm, about  a  year  previous  to  his  death,  the 
Rev.  William  Henry  Vanvleek  commenced 
his  labors  in  the  Moravian  Church,  which 
were  continued  most  acceptably  to  the  peo- 
ple until  the  autumn  of  1836,  when  he  was 
appointed  to  the  office  of  a  bishop  in  the 
church,  and  resigned  his  charge.  Bishop 
Vanvleek  was  succeeded  in  the  church  at 
New  York  by  the  Rev.  C.  F.  Kluger,  who 
served  two  years  ;  and  in  1838,  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bleck,  who  left  in 
1842,  under  a  call  from  a  church  in  Salem, 
N.  C.,  when  the  present  pastor  of  the  church, 
the  Rev.  David  Bigler,  commenced  his  labors. 
The  church  and  congregation  are  in  a  flour- 
ishing state.  The  number  of  communicants 
is  one  hundred  and  twenty. 


METHODIST  CHURCH. 
1766. 


THE  first  Methodist  church  in  America  was 
formed  in  the  city  of  New  York.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  year  1766,  a  few  Irish 
families  who  were  Methodists,  arrived  here, 
among  whom  was  Mr.  Philip  Embury,  a 
local  preacher,  of  this  denomination.  He 
commenced  preaching  in  his  own  house, 
which  stood  on  what  is  now  called  "  City 
Hall  Place,"  and  gathered  a  small  society  of 
his  countrymen.  After  a  few  months  spent 
in  this  way,  a  room  was  rented  adjoining  the 
soldiers'  barracks,  and  meetings  were  held 
there.  Before  the  close  of  that  year  they 
were  joined  by  Capt.  Thomas  Webb,  bar- 
rack-master at  Albany,  a  zealous  and  gifted 
man,  who  preached  to  the  people  in  his 
regimentals.  The  novelty  of  this  brought 
numbers  to  the  meeting,  and  the  society  was 


282  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

greatly  enlarged.  A  room  formerly  used  as 
a  rigging  loft,  was  procured,  and  fitted  up 
as  a  place  of  worship.  That  building  is  still 
standing.  It  is  a  high,  one  story  frame 
building,  with  a  sharp  roof,  standing  end  to 
the  street,  after  the  old  Dutch  fashion.  It 
stands  on  the  east  side  of  William  street, 
about  half  way  between  Fulton  and  John 
streets,  and  now  bears  the  street  number  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty.  Here  the  congre- 
gation remained  about  two  years,  when 
ground  was  purchased  on  John  street,  near 
Nassau,  and  a  house  of  worship  was  built, 
sixty  feet  in  length,  and  forty-two  in  breadth, 
and  called  "  Wesley  Chapel."  Mr.  Embury 
preached  the  first  sermon  in  this  house  on 
October  30,  1768.  During  the  next  year 
Mr.  Boardman  and  Mr.  Pilmoor*  came  over 
from  England,  and  labored  in  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  interchanging  with  each 
other,  and  the  societies  were  considerably  en- 
larged ;  yet  at  the  first  conference  ever  held  in 
America,  which  was  convened  in  Philadel- 

*This  Mr.  Pilmoor,  or  Pillmore,  as  the  name  is 
sometimes  spelt,  afterwards  became  an  Episcopa- 
lian, and  was  the  first  Rector  of  "  Christ's  Church"  in 
this  city.  He  died  in  Philadelphia  in  July,  1825. 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  283 

phia,  July  4, 1773,  there  were  no  more  than 
one  hundred  and  eighty  members  reported 
in  the  church  in  New  York,  and  about  the 
same  number  in  Philadelphia.  Thomas 
Rankin  and  George  Shadford  were  then 
stationed  at  New  York  and  Philadelphia, 
with  directions  to  exchange  places  every 
four  months. 

Rev.  Francis  Asbury  and  Rev.  Richard 
Wright  labored  after  this.  Mr.  Asbury 
was  afterwards  bishop,  and  the  most  promi- 
nent man  in  the  Methodist  connection  in 
America. 

The  war  of  the  Revolution  soon  came  on, 
and  no  very  great  advance  was  made  until 
after  the  peace,  and  the  regular  establish- 
ment of  the  "  Methodist  Episcopal  Church" 
in  the  year  1784. 

JOHN  STREET  CHURCH. 

This,  as  we  have  seen,  was  the  first 
Methodist  church  in  New  York  city,  the 
mother  of  at  least  twenty-four  others.  Al- 
though, perhaps,  not  many  formalities  were 
observed  at  its  formation,  yet  it  may  be 
considered  as  having  been  formed  in  the 
house  of  Mr.  Embury,  in  1766,  with  four  or 


284  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

five  members.  'The  first  house  of  worship 
was  built,  as  has  been  stated,  in  1768.  '  This 
was  taken  down  in  1817,  and  another  erect- 
ed on  the  same  spot.  In  the  year  1840, 
John  street  was  widened,  and  it  became 
necessary  to  remove  or  rebuild  the  meeting- 
house. It  was  accordingly  taken  down,  and 
the  present  building  erected.  It  looks  small 
on  the  street,  being  but  forty-two  feet  wide, 
.but  it  is  eighty  feet  deep,  and  is  so  arranged 
as  to  accommodate  a  large  congregation.  It 
is,  altogether,  one  of  the  neatest  places  of 
worship  in  the  city.  There  are  now  on  the 
roll  of  communicants,  three  hundred  and 
seventy-five  members.  Rev.  Aaron  Rogers 
is  pastor. 

FORSYTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  was  the  second  Methodist  church 
formed  in  the  city,  and  was  founded  in 
the  year  1790.  It  commenced  with  about 
thirty  members.  The  first  house  of  worship 
was  a  frame  building,  erected  at  a  cost 
of  about  $2,000.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
present  building  in  Forsyth  street,  near 
Division  street.  This  was  taken  down  in 
1833,  and  the  present  building  erected  at  a 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  235 

cost  of  $20,000.  This  has  always  been  a 
numerous  assembly.  Two  churches  have 
colonized  from  this  since  its  establishment, 
and  it  now  numbers  six  hundred  and  fifty 
communicants.  Rev.  Sanford  Washburn 
is  now  preacher  in  charge. 

DUANE  STREET    CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  in  1797,  and  was 
the  third  Methodist  church  in  the  city.  The 
original  number  of  members  was  forty-five. 
In  the  same  year  a  house  of  worship  was 
built  on  Duane  street,  near  Hudson,  at  a 
cost  of  about  $10,000.  The  house  is  now 
standing.  It  is  a  large  and  flourishing  con- 
gregation. The  number  of  communicants 
is  six  hundred  and  twenty-five.  The  Rev. 
John  Poisal  is  the  present  minister. 

SEVENTH    STREET  CHURCH. 

The  origin  of  this  church  is  interesting. 
About  the  year  1788,  when  the  Methodist 
Church  in  John  street  was  the  only  one  of 
that  denomination  in  the  city,  two  members 
of  that  church,  Mr.  Philip  I.  Arcularius,  and 
Mr.  John  Spruson,  being  desirous  of  carrying 
25 


286  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

the  Gospel  to  the  more  scattered  population, 
established  a  weekly  prayer-meeting  in  the 
northeastern  section  of  the  city,  on  the  road 
leading  to  Harlem,  about  two  miles  from 
what  was  then  the  centre  of  the  city. 
This  meeting  was  called,  for  distinction's 
sake,  the  "  Two  Mile-stone  Prayer-meeting." 
This  meeting  was  continued  for  several 
years,  and  many  people  around  became  in- 
terested in  the  things  of  religion.  At  length 
a  class  was  formed,  preaching  was  occa- 
sionally obtained,  and  about  the  year  1800, 
a  church  was  organized — Forsyth  Street  and 
Duane  Street  having  preceded  it,  so  that  it 
constituted  the  fourth"  Methodist  Church 
organized  in  the  city.  For  some  years  it 
was  more  generally  known  as  the  "  Two 
Mile-stone  Church."  An  old  building  was 
occupied  as  a  place  of  worship,  which  stood 
on  what  was  then  called  "  Nicholas- William 
street,"  near  the  present  "  St.  Mark's  place," 
which  was  hired  on  a  long  lease.  About 
the  year  1830,  before  the  lease  expired,  the 
owners  of  the  land,  where  the  old  house 
stood,  wishing  to  improve  it,  offered  the 
Methodist  congregation  a  still  longer  lease 
on  another  spot,  nearer  to  what  is  now 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  287 

Seventh  street.  To  this  place  the  old  build- 
ing was  removed,  enlarged,  and  repaired. 
They  had  been  here  but  a  few  years,  when 
the  owners  of  the  land,  being  desirous  of 
making  still  farther  improvements,  offered 
the  congregation  a  free  gift  of  lots  on  the 
south  side  of  Seventh  street,  if  they  wo'uld 
again  remove.  To  this  they  consented,  and 
built  a  substantial  brick  edifice,  measuring 
seventy-two  feet  by  fifty-four,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $17,500.  The  house  was  completed 
in  1.836.  The  old  building  was  then  taken 
down  and  removed  to  Yorkville,  and  is  the 
present  Methodist  Meeting-House  at  that 
place. 

ALLEN  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  in  the  year  1810. 
Meetings  had  been  held  in  that  neighborhood 
during  the  previous  year,  and  a  house 
of  worship  was  completed  near  the  close  of 
1810.  It  was  a  stone  building,  seventy  feet 
by  fifty-five,  and  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
present  building,  which  was  erected  in 
1836.  It  is  a  large  brick  edifice,  seventy -four 
feet  by  sixty-two.  A  large  and  flourishing 
congregation  assemble  here.  The  number 


288  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

of  members  in  the  church  is  nine  hundred 
and  fifty-four.  Rev.  L.  M.  Vincent  is  the 
present  minister. 

BEDFORD  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  formed  in  the  same  year 
with*  the  church  in  Allen  street.  A  private 
room  was  first  used  for  meetings,  then  a  hall 
owned  by  an  individual,  and  at  length  a 
small  frame  building  was  erected  on  Bedford 
street,  corner  of  Morton  street.  Like  most 
of  the  other  churches,  this  has  greatly  in- 
creased, and  after  having  enlarged  their 
house  of  worship  twice,  and  still  found  it 
filled  to  overflowing  for  several  years,  in 
1840,  a  very  large  brick  edifice  was  erected 
on  the  same  spot.  Rev.  John-  Seys  is  the 
present  minister. 

WILLET  STREET  CHURCH. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1817,  a  few 
members  of  the  Methodist  Church  living  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  established  a 
meeting  in  a  school-room  on  Broome  street, 
which  was  just  vacated  by  the  Seventh 
Presbyterian  Church.  Shortly  after,  they  re- 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  289 

moved  to  a  building  called  "  The  Mission- 
House,"  standing  on  Broome  street,  between 
Cannon  and  Lewis  streets,  which  they 
hired.  They  then  organized  as  a  church, 
and  remained  in  this  building  for  six  years. 
In  1825,  on  the  16th  of  October,  they  laid 
the  corner  stone  of  the  "  Willet  Street  Me- 
thodist Church."  This  building  was  finished 
in  May  of  the  next  year,  and  the  church  and 
congregation  removed  hither.  The  congre- 
gation is  a  prosperous  one.  Rev.  Phineas 
Rice  is  the  present  pastor. 

EIGHTEENTH  STREET  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  commenced  in  the  year 
1829,  when  a  small  class  was  formed  in  the 
scattered  settlements  which  then  lay  along 
the  North  river,  above  Greenwich.  A  small 
wooden  building  was  put  up  for  a  meeting- 
house, standing  on  what  is  now  "  West 
Twentieth  street,  a  few  doors  west  of  the 
Eighth  avenue,  and  the  Rev.  Stephen  Mar- 
tindale  was  stationed  there  by  the  Confer- 
ence for  two  years.  The  society  increased, 
and  the  place  of  worship  was  filled,  and 
soon  found  to  be  altogether  "  too  strait" 
for  the  rapidly  increasing  congregation. 
25* 


290  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

Arrangements  were  therefore  made  to  ob- 
tain better  accommodations  ;  and  in  1835, 
the  society  opened  for  worship  a  spacious 
brick  edifice,  capable  of  seating  nearly  1000 
persons,  situated  on  Eighteenth  street,  be- 
tween Eighth  and  Ninth  avenues.  The  old 
meeting-house  was  converted  into  a  dwell- 
ing, and  is  still  standing.  The  Rev.  Mr- 
Martindale,  who  was  their  first  minister, 
and  who  saw  their  feeble  beginnings,  is 
again  their  pastor,  having  now  around  him 
a  numerous  and  flourishing  church  and  con- 
gregation. 

GREENE  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  Methodist  Church  in  Greene  street 
was  formed  in  the  year  1831.  In  that  year, 
a  large  brick  edifice  was  built  on  Greene 
street,  where  a  numerous  congregation  now 
assemble.  The  Rev.  Nathan  Bangs,  D.D., 
has  the  pastoral  charge  of  this  church  at  the 
present  time. 

SECOND   STREET    METHODIST  CHURCH. 

The  methodist  meeting-house  in  Second 
street  was  built  in  the  year  1832.  It  was 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  291 

situated  on  a  kind  of  missionary  ground, 
and  has  been  instrumental  of  great  good. 
It  is  numerously  attended.  The  Methodist 
churches  changing  their  ministers  every  two 
years,  and  sometimes  every  year,  it  cannot 
be  expected  that  we  can  follow  the  ministers 
of  each  church  in  detail.  The  pastor  in 
charge  at  Second  street,  at  the  present  time, 
is  the  Rev.  F.  W.  Smith. 

"  HARLEM  MISSION." 

About  the  year  1830,  a  missionary  cir- 
cuit was  established  by  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Mission  of  this  city,  which  was  tra- 
velled by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ferris  for  one  year, 
and  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Seaman  for  the  two 
following.  It  was  called  the  "  Harlem  Mis- 
sion." They  had  six  principal  stations,  viz., 
Harlem,  Yorkville,  Manhattanville,  Fort 
Washington,  Forty-first  street,  on  the  North 
river,  and  Twenty-seventh  street,  toward  the 
East  river.  At  these  places  the  Sabbaths 
were  spent,  and  lectures  and  prayer-meet- 
ings held  occasionally  during  the  week  in 
other  places.  The  circuit  was  travelled  in 
about  two  weeks.  After  a  time,  two 
preachers  were  appointed  to  this  circuit. 


292  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

The  Methodist  churches  at  Harlem,  York- 
ville,  Forty-first  street,  and  Twenty-seventh 
street,  owe  their  origin  to  this  effort.  The 
first  of  these  which  ripened  into  an  inde- 
pendent church  was, 

YORKVILLE. 

A  considerable  congregation  was  accus- 
tomed to  assemble  here,  and  a  class  was 
formed  in  the  very  early  movements  of  the 
Mission,  and  Divine  influences  being  afford- 
ed, quite  a  number  of  persons  were  hopeful- 
ly converted.  The  regular  establishment  of 
the  church  took  place  in  the  year  1832.  In 
the  year  1836,  an  effort  was  made  to  obtain 
a  house  of  worship.  The  Seventh  street 
Methodist  Church  having  about  that  time 
completed  a  new  house  of  worship,  their 
old  building,  then  in  a  good  state  of  repair, 
was  obtained,  taken  down,  and  removed  to 
Yorkville. 

The  Methodist  congregation  at  Yorkville 
is  not  large  ;  about  thirty-five  members  are 
found  in  the  church.  Rev.  William  McK. 
Bangs  is  the  present  minister. 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  293 

TWENTY-SEVENTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  station  established  by  the  preachers 
on  the  Harlem  mission  circuit  at  what  was 
then  generally  known  as  "  Rose  Hill,"  was 
the  next  which  became  an  independent 
congregation.  This  took  place  in  1834,  and 
it  was  generally  known  as  the  "  Rose  Hill 
Church."  A  small  frame  building  was 
erected  about  that  time  on  Twenty-seventh 
street,  and,  the  population  soon  increasing  in 
that  section  of  the  city,  this  house  became 
crowded,  and  in  1843,  the  congregation  com- 
pleted a  substantial  brick  edifice,  measuring 
72  feet  by  48.  The  Rev.  Daniel  Curry  is 
the  present  minister. 

FORTY-FOURTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

Connected  with  the  Twenty-seventh  Street 
Church  a  class  of  about  ten  members  was 
formed,  in  November,  1844,  a  short  dis- 
tance above,  on  the  Third  avenue ;  and  the 
second  floor  of  an  old  building,  standing  on 
Forty-fourth  street,  was  fitted  up  as  a  place  of 
worship,  and  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
Sabbath-school.  Preaching  is  maintained 
here  most  of  the  time,  but  the  relation  of  the 
people  is  still  to  the  Rose  Hill  Church. 


294  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

HARLEM  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

This  was  the  third  of  the  mission  stations 
which  became  a  church.  Preaching  was 
maintained  here  with  considerable  regularity 
from  the  year  1830,  but  it  was  not  until 
nearly  six  years  after  that  a  church  was 
formed.  It  was  in  the  year  1836  that  the 
meeting-house  was  built,  and  the  permanent 
establishment  of  the  church  may  be  dated 
from  this  time.  The  Rev.  M.  E.  Willing  is 
pastor  of  the  church. 

FORTY-FIRST  STREET  CHURCH. 

This  church,  also,  was  the  offspring  of  the 
"  Harlem  Mission,"  and  became  a  distinct 
church  in  the  year  1840.  In  1843,  their 
present  house  of  worship  was  built.  The 
assembly  is  not  large,  but  it  is  now  a  per- 
manent body,  and  the  church  is  doing  good 
in  the  population  around  it. 

VESTRY  STREET  CHURCH. 

For  many  years  all  the  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  residing  on  the  western 
side  of  the  city,  were  constrained  to  travel  to 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  295 

Duane  street  on  the  south,  or  Bedford  street 
on  the  north,  in  order  to  reach  a  church  of 
their  own  denomination.  An  intermediate 
place  of  worship  seemed,  therefore,  highly 
expedient.  Vestry  street  was  pitched  upon 
as  a  suitable  location ;  a  very  handsome  and 
commodious  house  of  worship  was  built 
here  in  the  year  1833,  and  a  church  was  or- 
ganized. The  Rev.  Moses  L.  Scudder  is 
the  present  pastor.  There  is  one  peculiarity 
in  this  house  of  worship :  it  is  finished  with 
pews,  and  not  free  seats.  Of  all  the 
Methodist  Meeting- Houses  in  the  city  there 
are  but  two  such. 

MULBERRY  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  house  of  worship  occupied  by  this 
church  is  built  with  pews  and  not  free  seats, 
like  the  church  in  Vestry  street.  A  large 
congregation  assembles  here.  The  church 
was  organized  in  1834,  and  the  house  of 
worship  was  built  in  the  same  year.  The 
present  pastor  of  the  church  is  the  Rev. 
Edward  L.  Janes.  <. 


296  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

TWENTY-FOURTH  STREET  CHURCH. 

In  the  month  of  August,  in  the  year  1841, 
a  Sabbath-school  was  established  in  the 
basement  of  a  dwelling-house,  in  the  Tenth 
avenue,  between  Twenty-seventh  and 
Twenty-eighth  streets, — a  part  of  the  city  at 
that  time  exceedingly  destitute  of  the  ordi- 
nary means  of  grace. 

Soon  after,  a  prayer-meeting  was  opened 
in  the  same  place,  and,  a  few  hopeful  conver- 
sions occurring,  a  class  of  about,  twenty  per- 
sons was  formed  and  attached  to  the  Me- 
thodist Church  in  Eighteenth  street,  to  which 
the  leaders  of  this  enterprise  belonged. 
Arrangements  were  made  soon  after  to  erect 
a  house  of  worship,  and  a  small  frame  build- 
ing was  put  up,  standing  on  Twenty-fourth 
street,  near  Ninth  avenue,  which  was  opened 
for  worship  in  December,  1843.  The  church 
was  constituted  some  time  previous.  It  is  a 
flourishing  little  church,  and  doing  great 
good  among  the  population  where  it  is 
situated.  Its  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  S.  A. 
Seaman. 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  297 

GERMAN'  MISSION  CHURCH. 

The  number  of  Germans  who  have  emi- 
grated to  New  York  is  very  great ;  and  with 
commendable  zeal  most  of  the  evangelical 
denominations  have  done  something  for  their 
religious  instruction.  A  Methodist  meeting 
of  this  description  was  established  in  Second 
street,  in  the  year  1841,  and  during  the  next 
year  a  church  was  organized  called  the 
"  German  Mission  Methodist  Church,"  and 
a  substantial  brick  edifice,  measuring  70  feet 
by  44,  was  erected.  The  Rev.  J.  C.  Lyon 
is  the  minister.  The  exercises  are  conducted 
in  German. 

ASBURY  CHURCH. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1842,  a  socie- 
ty was  formed  by  members  of  the  various 
Methodist  churches  in  the  city,  called  the 
"  Asbury  Society,"  the  special  object  of 
which,  as  expressed  in  their  constitution, 
was,  "  to  increase  the  number  of  Methodist 
Episcopal  churches  in  the  city  of  New 
^ork." 

In  the  summer  of  that  year,  this  society 
resolved  to  commence  a  new  congregation 
26 


298  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

somewhere  in  the  city,  and  appointed 
a  committee  to  select  a  suitable  place 
for  a  commencement.  This  committee 
accordingly  hired  the  Columbian  Hall  on 
Grand  street,  and  engaged  the  Rev.  Ezra 
Withey  to  preach  there.  The  experiment 
proved  successful.  A  considerable  congre- 
gation was  collected  within  a  few  months, 
and  a  church  was  formed  of  a  few  mem- 
bers from  other  churches,  and  called  the 
"  Asbury  Church,"  and  to  this  church  others 
were  soon  added  by  profession.  Seeing  the 
success  of  the  enterprise,  measures  were 
taken  to  build  the  house  of  worship.  A 
site  was  purchased  on  Norfolk  street,  near 
Stanton,  and  the  house  was  completed  and 
opened  for  worship  October  5,  1843.  Up 
to  this  time,  all  the  affairs  of  the  congrega- 
tion had  been  managed  by  the  "  Asbury 
Society,"  but  they  then  retired  by  request  of 
the  trustees  of  the  congregation,  and  the  peo- 
ple now  stand  independently.  Rev.  Mr. 
Withey,  who  was  instrumental  in  collecting 
the  congregation,  remained,  as  their  stationed 
preacher  until  the  summer  of  1845,  when  he 
removed  to  Jane  street,  to  commence  a  new 
enterprise  there.  The  present  minister  is  the 
Rev.  Nicholas  White. 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  299 

SULLIVAN  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  example  of  Christian  enterprise  which 
had  resulted  so  favorably  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Asbury  Church,  as  related  above, 
awakened  the  attention  of  brethren  in  other 
parts  of  the  city  to  the  subject  of  a  farther 
increase  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  an  opportunity  for  this  was  soon  pre- 
sented. One  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Churches  in  the  city  had  erected  a  good 
house  of  worship  on  Sullivan  street,  near 
Bleecker,  in  the  year  1839,  but  in  about, 
three  years  after  difficulties  arose.  A  large 
debt  lay  on  the  house,  and  the  church  be- 
came divided  in  sentiment,  some  wishing 
to  join  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
some  preferring  Congregationalism,  and 
some  desiring  to  remain  as  they  were.  The 
consequence  of  this  division  was  the  sale  of 
the  building,  in  1842,  and  the  organization 
of  the  "  Sullivan  Street  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,"  to  which  a  large  portion  of  the  old 
church  attached  themselves.  The  congre- 
gation is  now  in  a  prosperous  condition. 
The  Rev.  Joseph  Law  has-  the  pastoral 
charge. 


300  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

MADISON  STREET  CHURCH. 

The  prosperous  establishment  of  the  two 
churches  last  named,  led  to  the  formation  of 
another  in  the  spring  of  1843.  The  house  of 
worship  built  by  the  Fourth  Free  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  on  the  corner  of  Catharine  and 
Madison  streets,  being  for  sale,  was  pur- 
chased by  a  few  individuals,  belonging  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  $13,000, 
and  a  church  of  twelve  members  was  form- 
ed there.  A  large  congregation  was  soon 
collected  ;  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  there 
has  evidently  been  attended  by  a  divine 
power,  and  with  a  few  who  have  come  in 
by  a  certificate  from  other  churches,  they 
now  number  about  two  hundred  and  forty 
in  communion.  The  present  minister  in 
charge  is  the  Rev.  James  Floy. 

"MARINERS'   METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH." 

In  the  year  1844,  a  colony  from  the  Willet 
Street  Methodist  church  commenced  a  new 
enterprise,  having  specially  in  view  the  bene- 
fit of  seamen.  They  were  organized  as  a 
distinct  church,  under  the  above  title,  and  in 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  301 

the  course  of  that  year  erected  a  large  house 
of  worship  on  Cherry  street,  near  Rutgers 
Place.  The  enterprise  has  been  successful, 
and  a  large  church  and  congregation  is 
already  collected  there.  Rev.  Robert  Seney 
is  the  present  minister. 

METHODIST  FLOATING  BETHEL. 

To  provide  the  means  of  grace  more  ex- 
tensively for  seamen,  it  was  resolved  by  the 
"  Asbury  Methodist  Society,"  to  establish  a 
Floating  Bethel.  This  was  accomplished 
in  June,  1845.  The  "  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dists" had  for  a  short  time  maintained  wor- 
ship in  the  hull  of  an  ol,d  packet  ship,  of 
eight  hundred  tons,  which  had  been  fitted 
up  as  a  place  of  worship,  and  moored  in  a 
dock  at  the  foot  of  Rector  street,  in  the  North 
river.  This  was  purchased  for  about  $2,000, 
and  the  Rev.  O.  G.  Hedstrom  was  appoint- 
ed stated  preacher.  A  considerable  congre- 
gation was  soon  collected,  as  there  was  no 
other  place  of  public  worship  very  near,  and 
the  ship  will  accommodate  about  five  hun- 
dred persons  with  convenience.  They  have 
a  Sabbath-school  of  about  one  hundred 
children,  mostly  gathered  from  the  street,  and 
26* 


302  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

a  church  has  been  organized,  consisting  of 
about  twenty-five  members.  Mr.  Hedslrom, 
the  pastor,  is  a  native  of  Sweden,  and 
preaches  on  Sabbath  morning  to  a  large 
congregation  of  seamen  and  others,  in  that 
language.  In  the  afternoons  and  evenings 
he  preaches  in  English. 

In  addition  to  these  services,  one  service 
in  German  is  held  on  board  the  Floating 
Bethel  every  Lord's  day  at  one  o'clock,  for 
the  accommodation  of  those  persons  in  that 
vicinity  who  cannot  understand  English,  and 
it  being  held  near  to  the  place  where  many 
of  the  German  emigrants  congregate  on  their 
first  entrance  to  the  city,  this  service  is  calcu- 
lated to  do  great  good. 

MARINERS'  CHURCH,  ROSEVELT  STREET. 

There  seems  no  place  more  proper  to 
notice  the  meeting  for  seamen  held  in  Rose- 
velt  street,  than  here.  It  is  the  first  meeting 
of  this  description  ever  established  in  the 
city,  but  not  having  any  church  organization, 
it  does  not  belong  exclusively  to  any  denomi- 
nation. 

This  meeting  was  commenced  by  the  Rev. 
Ward  Stafford,  on  the  20th  of  December, 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  303 

1816,  in  a  school-room  in  the  rear  of  No.  37 
Cherry  street.  The  building  now  known  as 
"  The  Mariners'  Church"  was  commenced 
in  October,  1819,  and  opened  for  worship 
June  4,  1820.  Mr.  Stafford  was  the  princi- 
pal preacher  from  the  first  movement  until 
November,  1820.  In  March  following,  the 
Rev.  Henry  Chase  was  engaged  to  preach 
here,  and  continued  until  the  spring  of  1824. 
The  Rev.  John  Truair  then  supplied  for  two 
years,  and  in  1826  Mr.  Chase  was  again  en- 
gaged, and  has  remained  to  the  present  time. 
The  meeting  is  under  the  direction  of  the 
"  Port  Society,"  and  is  considered  as  belong- 
ing to  no  one  denomination,  although  Mr. 
Chase  is  himself  in  connection  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  A  large  as- 
sembly is  found  here  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
much  good  has  been  done :  and  no  doubt 
"  The  Lord  will  count,  when  He  writeth  up 
His  people,  that  this  and  that  man  was  born 
there." 

METHODIST  HOME  MISSION  SOCIETY. 

A  society  of  ladies,  under  the  above  title, 
during  the  year  1845,  employed  the  Rev. 
Ezra  Withey,  who  was  so  successful  in  the 


304  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

establishment  of  the  Asbury  Church,  to  labor 
in  the  northwestern  section  of  the  city.  He 
opened  a  meeting  in  a  hall  on  Perry  street, 
near  Hudson,  where  a  church  was  formed. 
A  commodious  meeting-house  has  been 
erected  on  Jane  street,  near  Greenwich 
avenue,  and  the  church  is  now  known  as  the 
Jane  Street  Church.  At  the  same  time  the 
Rev.  Joseph  Longking  was  employed  to 
labor  near  the  Dry  Dock.  A  church  has 
been  formed  here  also.  Two  hundred  and 
ten  members  were  reported  in  June  last,  as 
belonging  to  the  Home  Mission,  including 
both  of  these  stations. 

The  same  society  have  had  under  their 
care  a  meeting  for  Germans,  held  by  the 
Rev.  John  M.  Hartman,  in  a  hall  on  Ninth 
avenue,  near  Forty-first  street,  which  in  all 
probability  will  ripen  into  a  German  Church. 

The  twenty-five  Methodist  Churches, 
whose  history  is  sketched  on  the  preceding 
pages,  are  all  in  one  connection,  all  attached 
to  the  regular  "  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  the  United  States."  But  there  are  fifteen 
others,  of  the  same  general  denomination,  but 
different  connections,  or  strictly  independent ; 
eight  of  these  being  composed  of  white 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  305 

members,  and  seven  being  colored.  The 
sketch  of  these  churches  follows.  We  be- 
gin with  those  composed  of  white  people, 
in  the  order  in  which  they  have  appeared  in 
this  city. 

METHODIST  SOCIETY. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1820, 
several  persons  in  New  York,  who  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Churches  which  had  then  been  formed,  being 
dissatisfied  with  what  they  considered  an 
assumption  of  power  by  the  bishops  and  the 
Conference,  and  preferring  the  congregational 
form  as  to  government,  separated  from  their 
churches,  and  formed  themselves  into  what 
they  termed  "  The  Methodist  Society."  A 
school-room  was  hired  at  No.  63  Christie 
street,  and  on  the  16th  of  July,  1820,  they 
commenced  public  worship.  The  Rev. 
William  M.  Stillwell,  an  ordained  elder  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  became 
their  preacher.  At  this  first  meeting,  mea- 
sures were  taken  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
those  who  prefered  an  independent  form  of 
government — and  about  one  hundred  per- 
sons enrolled  their  names ;  and  in  August 


306  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

following,  trustees  were  elected,  and  the  certi- 
ficate of  incorporation  legally  recorded. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  school-room 
where  they  met  would  not  accommodate  the 
people,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year, 
ground  was  purchased  on  the  east  side  of 
Christie  street,  between  Walker  and  Hester 
streets,  and  a  brick  building,  measuring  fifty 
feet  by  seventy-eight,  was  erected,  and  open- 
ed for  worship  on  the  31st  of  December 
following. 

Constant  accessions  were  made  to  the 
Methodist  Society,  and  they  were  joined 
from  time  to  time  by  other  preachers  from 
the  old  Methodist  connection,  and  meetings 
were  frequently  held  in  other  parts  of  the 
city.  Dr.  James  Covell,  a  physician,  who 
was  an  ordained  preacher,  labored  much  in 
this  cause.  A  temporary  house  of  worship 
was  fitted  up,  standing  on  the  corner  of  Pitt 
and  Delancy  streets,  and  here  meetings  were 
established  ;  and  for  the  accommodation  of 
those  in  the  west  part  of  the  city,  a  large 
room  in  the  Watch-house,  on  the  corner  of 
Prince  and  Wooster  streets,  was  obtained, 
and  meetings  were  held  there.  Mr.  Stillwell, 
Thomas  West,  Dr.  Covell  and  others,  were 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  307 

engaged  in  these  labors.  Soon,  however, 
a  lot  of  ground  for  a  church-building  was 
purchased  on  Sullivan  Street,  near  Spring 
street,  and  preaching  was  commenced  on 
that  ground  in  the  open  air,  collections  being 
made  at  each  meeting,  toward  the  erection  of 
the  proposed  building,  commencing  the 
foundation  at  once,  and  expending  the  col- 
lections as  fast  as  they  were  made.  With 
great  effort  the  house  was  built,  and  opened 
in  1824.  Thus  things  remained  for  nearly 
two  years,  and  at  the  close  of  the  year  1825 
the  "  Methodist  Society"  found  themselves 
with  three  houses  of  worship,  generally  well 
filled  with  congregations  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
having  in  all  about  eight  hundred  members 
in  communion. 

But  in  May,  1826,  a  division  took  place. 
A  part  of  the  preachers  and  the  people  pre- 
ferred the  entire  independency  of  each  church, 
and  a  permanent  ministry  ;  and  others, 
while  they  wished  to  avoid  the  jurisdiction 
pf  bishops,  still  preferred  a  connection  of 
churches,  and  an  itinerant  ministry.  A 
separation  took  place  accordingly,  and  each 
went  to  work  in  his  own  way.  The  church 
in  Christie  street,  which  was  the  original 


308  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

band,  preferred  to  remain  in  entire  indepen- 
dency, and  so  they  have  remained  to  this 
day.  Mr.  Stillwell  remains  in  the  pastoral 
office  in  this  church.  His  labors  have  been 
very  much  blessed  :  a  regular  and  respect- 
able congregation  assemble  there  ;  many 
person's  have  been  brought  into  the  church 
in  that  place,  and  about  three  hundred 
members  are  now  enrolled  in  communion. 


METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES. 

Perhaps  the  name  of  this  branch  of  the 
Methodist  Church  sufficiently  indicates  its 
character.  In  doctrine,  it  is  Methodist, 
claiming,  as  do  all,  John  Wesley  as  the  pat- 
tern; but  in  government  it  does  not  admit 
the  authority  of  the  Conference,  nor  the  juris- 
diction of  Bishops,  but  protests  against  any 
assumption  of  their  power.  Hence  their 
name,  Protestant. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  as  a 
distinct  denomination,  was  formed  in  Balti- 
more, in  1830,  when  many  churches  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  country  were  united  in  a 
distinct  connection. 

After  the  separation    in  the  Methodists' 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  309 

Society,  already  referred  to,  the  two  churches 
which  preferred  a  connection  with  others,  and 
an  itinerant  ministry,  continued  by  them- 
selves, until  the  regular  formation  of  the  de- 
nomination in  1830,  and  then  became  the 
First  and  Second  Methodist  Protestant 
Churches  in  the  city  of  New  York.  . 

FIRST  METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH. 

The  meeting  established  on  the  corner  of 
Pitt  and  Delancy  streets,  continued  to  be 
held  in  that  place  until  the  year  1831,  when 
a  good  brick  edifice  was  erected  on  Attor- 
ney street,  and  the  congregation  removed 
there.  Rev.  Zenas  Covell,  the  son  of  Dr. 
James  Covell,  is  the  present  minister.  They 
number  about  two  hundred  in  communion. 

• 
SECOND  METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH. 

This  church  continued  to  meet  in  the 
house  of  worship  erected  on  Sullivan  street, 
as  already  related,  until  the  year  1839,  when 
it  was  thought  best  to  dispose  of  it,  and  erect 
another  on  the  upper  part  of  the  same  street. 
It  was  sold  accordingly  to  the  Reformed 
Presbyterians  for  $14,500,  and  in  the  same 
27 


310  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

year  the  church  and  congregation  took  pos- 
session of  their  new  house.  Here,  after  a 
few  years,  troubles  arose.  The  house  of 
worship  had  not  been  paid  for,  and  a  heavy 
debt  was  pressing  upon  the  congregation. 
Added  to  this,  a  large  portion  of  the  people 
chose  to  become  connected  with  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  a  part  preferred  Con- 
gregationalism, leaving  but  about  twenty 
members  who  preferred  to  remain  in  the 
Protestant  Methodist  connection.  This  took 
place  in  the  year  1841,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  present  "  Sullivan  Street  Metho- 
dist Church"  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
connection,  and  the  church  edifice  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  new  society,  with  a 
large  portion  of  the  congregation.  Another 
portion  formed  what  is  now  the  "  Fourth 
Congregational  Church,"  and  the  fragment 
that  remained  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church  retired  to  a  hall  on  Hudson  street, 
nearly  opposite  "  St.  Luke's  Church,"  where 
they  remained  for  a  time,  and  since  that 
have  met  in  private  houses.  A  few  more 
have  united  with  them,  but  they  are  still  a 
feeble  band.  Dr.  Covell  is  again  their  min- 
ister. 


METHODIST  CHURCH. 


WELSH  METHODIST  CHURCH. 


311 


The  Welsh  Churches  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  of  all  denominations,  had  a  common 
origin.  In  the  year  1801,  the  Rev.  Howell 
Powell,  now  the  stated  minister  of  the  Welsh 
Calvinistic  Methodist  Church,  in  Palmyra, 
Ohio,  arrived  at  New  York  from  Wales, 
with  a  considerable  number  of  others,  of  va- 
rious religious  denominations,  Indepen- 
dents, Baptists,  Methodists,  &c.  He  soon 
commenced  preaching  in  the  Welsh  lan- 
guage, and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  those  who 
understood  that  language  best,  attended  his 
ministrations.  But  there  is  no  evidence  of 
the  formal  organization  of  a  church  at  that 
time.  As  a  place  of  worship  they  fitted  up 
an  old  mill,  owned  by  Col.  Henry  Rutgers, 
which  was  obtained  for  a  trifling  considera- 
tion, on  a  lease  for  forty  years.  It  was  a 
spacious  building,  which  would  accommo- 
date at  least  eight  hundred  persons,  and  it  is 
said  was  often  crowded  with  hearers. 

After  remaining  at  the  old  mill  about  a 
year,  some  disputes  arose  among  the  peo- 
ple, in  consequence  of  which  Mr.  Powell 
and  a  portion  of  the  people  separated  and 


312  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

hired  another  room,  and  shortly  after  those 
who  remained  sold  out  the  lease,  and  scat- 
tered. Mr.  Powell  continued  preaching  for 
about  four  years  after  this,  when  he  left  for 
the  western  country,  and  very  soon  after,  in 
the  year  1807,  a  Welsh  Baptist  Church  was 
formed,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev. 
John  Stephens.  (See  sketch  of  that  Church, 
page  239.)  When  the  Welsh  Baptists  drew 
off,  the  Independents  and  Calvinistic  Me- 
thodists continued  together,  holding  prayer- 
meetings,  and  meetings  for  reading  and  ex- 
hortation, but  having  no  stated  preacher  for 
some  time,  until  they  succeeded  in  securing 
the  services  of  the  Rev.  Evan  Roberts,  from 
Steuben,  Oneida  County.  After  him  a  Mr. 
Powell  (not  their  former  minister)  supplied 
for  a  while,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
James  Davies.  During  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
Davies,  a  church  was  organized  on  the  In- 
dependent, or  Congregational  platform,  and 
shortly  after  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  sepa- 
rated, in  number  between  twenty  and  thirty, 
and  organized  themselves  as  a  distinct 
church.  This  took  place  in  the  year  1828. 
The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the  Rev. 
John  Hughes,  now  a  minister  in  the  Epis- 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  313 

copal  Church  in  Oneida  County,  and  after 
he  left,  the  church  was  supplied  by  the  Rev. 
Shadrach  Davies. 

In  the  year  1836,  the  Rev.  William  Row- 
lands came  from  Wales,  at  the  invitation  of 
this  church,  and  has  discharged  the  duties 
of  the  pastoral  office  up  to  the  present  time, 
with  the  exception  of  about  three  years, 
which  he  spent  at  Utica,  during  which  time 
the  Rev.  John  H.  Evans  officiated.  The 
congregation  is  now  in  an  encouraging 
state.  They  have  as  yet  no  house  of  wor- 
ship, but  occupy  a  Hall  on  Christie  street, 
between  Walker  and  Hester  streets,  intend- 
ing soon  to  erect  a  building.  The  church 
numbers  one  hundred  and  five  in  commu- 
nion. 

It  may  not  be  unacceptable,  before  con- 
cluding this  article,  to  state  the  origin  of  this 
denomination  of  Christians. 

It  is  well  known  that  in  the  time  of  the 
revival  of  religion  in  England,  under  the 
preaching  of  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  and 
George  Whitefield,  they  were  all  branded 
.by  their  enemies  with  the  name  of  Metho- 
dist, as  a  term  of  reproach.  In  process  of 
time,  these  leaders  became  divided  on  some 
27* 


314  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

fundamental  doctrines,  the  two  Wesleys 
embracing  rather  the  Arminian  view,  and 
Whitefield  the  Calvinistic.  About  the  same 
time  a  celebrated  Welsh  minister,  by  the 
name  of  Rowlands,  commenced  preaching 
in  Wales  in  the  same  zealous  manner,  ad- 
hering, however,  to  the  Calvinistic  views  of 
the  doctrines  of  grace.  Several  others  united 
with  him,  and  Mr.  Whitefield  met  them  in 
Wales.  A  new  church  organization  was 
then  formed,  from  which  has  sprung  tjie  pre- 
sent Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church, 
being  in  form  Methodist,  but  in  doctrine 
strict  Calvinists.  It  is  now  one  of  the  most 
numerous  bodies  in  Wales.  The  first  or- 
ganization of  this  kind  in  America,  was 
made  in  the  year  1824,  in  the  town  of  Rem- 
sen,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  and  they  now 
number  in  the  several  states  and  territories 
about  thirty  churches. 

PRIMITIVE  METHODIST   CHURCH. 

The  Primitive  Methodist  Connection  had 
its  origin  at  Standley,  a  village  about  four 
miles  distant  from  Bemersley,  England,  in 
the  year  1810,  with  a  small  class  of  ten  per- 
sons, raised  from  the  world.  It  seems  that 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  315 

three   local  preachers,  viz.,  Hugh  Bourne, 
James  Bourne,  and  William   Clowes,  had 
been  excluded  from  the  regular  Wesleyan 
connection     for     holding     camp-meetings. 
These  meetings  had  been  held  in  America 
from  the  year  1801,  but  they  had  not  been 
practised  in  England  until  the  year  1807. 
But  opposition  was  raised,  and  the  "  Primi- 
tive Methodist"  Connection  was  established 
in  consequence.     The  discipline  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  church  does  not  differ  very  ma- 
terially from  that  of  the  other  portions  of  the 
same   general  denomination.     In  doctrine, 
John  Wesley  is  the  standard.     In  govern- 
ment they  are  independent,  but  they  claim 
to  restore  their  church  from  all  departures, 
and  to  bring  it  back  to  its  pristine  simplici- 
ty.    Hence  their  name — Primitive.     In  the 
year  1829,  four  preachers  of  the  "  Primitive 
Methodists"  came  to  the  United  States,  and 
commenced  their  operations  at  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  and  some  other  places.     They 
have  not  increased  much,  having  not  over 
five  or  six  churches  in  America,  and  those 
very  small. 

In  the  city  of  New  York  a  small  church 
of  Primitive  Methodists  is  found.     It  was 


316  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

formed  in  1829,  or  1830.  They  have  never 
had  a  house  of  worship  of  their  own,  but 
have  moved  about  from  one  place  to  another, 
as  they  could  best  be  accommodated. 
The  Rev.  Hugh  Bourne,  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  sect,  is  their  present  minister. 


GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  METHODIST 
CHURCH. 

About  the  year  1802,  John  Albrecht,  a 
local  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  was  residing  near  Shippensburg,  in 
Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania.  He 
was  a  man  of  good  character,  and  a  devoted 
Christian,  and  being  desirous  of  joining  the 
travelling  connection,  he  was  recommended 
to  the  Baltimore  Conference  for  that  pur- 
pose. But  he  could  not  preach  in  the  Eng- 
lish language,  and  the  Conference  having 
no  German  circuit  established,  declined  to 
receive  him.  But  burning  with  the  desire 
of  benefiting  his  German  brethren,  his  kins- 
men according  to  the  flesh,  he  determined  to 
proceed  without  credentials,  and  went  on 
preaching,  and  organizing  churches,  and 
ordaining  preachers,  until  much  good  was 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  317 

accomplished,  and  a  considerable  connection 
of  churches  established. 

One  of  these  churches  has  been  recently 
gathered  in  this  city.  The  commencement 
was  made  in  the  year  1841,  by  Mr.  Eis,  who 
labored  among  the  German  population.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Meyer,  and  he  by 
Mr.  Hummel.  The  present  pastor  of  the 
church,  the  Rev.  M.  F.  Mees,  succeeded  Mr. 
Hummell. 

In  the  year  1843,  the  congregation  suc- 
ceeded in  the  erection  of  a  neat  brick  edifice 
on  Sixteenth  street,  near  the  Sixth  avenue. 
A  considerable  congregation  is  collecting 
here.  About  sixty  members  are  now  enrol- 
led in  communion.  The  services  are  all 
conducted  in  the  German  language. 


WESLEYAN  METHODISTS. 

This  particular  section  of  the  Methodist 
Church  first  appeared  in  New  York  in  the 
year  1840,  or  1841.  About  that  time  a 
Methodist  preacher  from  Canada,  named 
Barry,  arrived  in  New  York  city,  and  open- 
ed a  meeting,  independently,  in  a  small 
room  on  Christopher  street,  and  continued 


318  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

preaching  there  for  about  a  year,  when  his 
health  failed,  and  he  died  shortly  after.  The 
Rev.  Jacob  Timberman  succeeded  Mr.  Bar- 
ry in  his  meeting,  and  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
were  enrolled  as  a  church.  After  a  year  or 
two,  the  congregation  hired  a  small  house  of 
worship  on  King  street,  near  Hudson,  owned 
by  the  « Salem  Baptist  Church,"  and  Mr. 
Timberman  continued  to  officiate  here  for  a 
time ;  but  the  society  was  very  small  and 
feeble,  and  he  left.  But  previous  to  this, 
some  time  in  the  autumn  of  1842,  a  small 
class  of  only  seven  or  eight  persons  was 
formed,  who,  for  about  three  months,  met  for 
worship  in  a  small  room  in  a  sugar  house, 
on  Duane  street,  near  "West  Broadway. 
About  the  month  of  February,  in  the  next 
year,  they  removed  to  a  room  on  Allen  street, 
where  they  continued  for  more  than  a  year. 
In  the  spring  of  1844,  about  fifteen  members 
left  Allen  street,  and  uniting  with  what  re- 
mained of  Mr.  Timberman's  church,  formed 
the  present  "  First  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Church."  Since  that  time  they  have  been 
much  prospered.  They  have  purchased  the 
house  of  worship  which  they  occupied  on 
King  street ;  the  congregation  is  gradually 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  319 

enlarging,  and  they  have  between  eighty  and 
ninety  communicants  at  the  present  time. 
Elder  Dennis  Harris  is  the  preacher  in 
charge. 

The  members  who  remained  at  Allen 
street,  are  known  as  the  "  Second  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Church."  In  the  year  1845,  a 
member  of  the  church  erected  a  building, 
specially  as  a  place  of  worship,  on  Allen 
street,  near  Grand,  for.  which  the  congrega- 
tion pay  a  rent.  They  are  well  accommo- 
dated, and  are  well  situated.  They  have 
between  thirty  and  forty  in  communion. 
Elder  A.  Moran  holds  the  pastoral  office. 

A  third  meeting  of  Wesleyan  Methodists 
is  commenced  in  Sixteenth  street,  but  they 
have  not  as  yet  a  separate  organization. 

The  establishment  of  the  Floating  Bethel 
for  Seamen,  at  the  foot  of  Rector  street,  in 
the  North  river,  is  to  be  attributed  to  the 
Christian  enterprise  of  the  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dists. It  seems  that  a  Mr.  Bergen,  a  car- 
penter, who  was  a  native  of  Sweden,  and 
who  resided  in  that  neighborhood,  finding 
there  was  no  place  of  worship  in  the  city  for 
the  accommodation  of  his  countrymen,  was 
in  the  practice  of  inviting  them  occasionally 


320  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

into  his  house,  to  read  the  Scriptures,  and 
pray  and  sing.  At  length,  in  the  autumn 
of  1844,  a  few  individuals  purchased  the  hull 
of  an  old  ship,  and  fitted  it  up  for  a  place  of 
worship.  This  place  they  occupied  from 
November,  until  June,  1845,  and  were  mak- 
ing arrangements  to  engage  a  Swedish 
preacher.  But  Mr.  Hedstrom  being  pre- 
viously engaged  by  the  "  Asbury  Society  " 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  to  preach 
alternately  in  Swedish  and  English,  the 
Wesleyans  transferred  the  ship  to  that  so- 
ciety, to  carry  out  the  object  for  which  it  had 
been  fitted  up. 


COLORED  METHODIST  CHURCHES. 

These  are  to  be  considered  in  four  varieties, 
viz. :  "  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,"  "  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Zion  Church,"  "  The  Asbury  African  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church,"  and  "  The 
African  Methodist  Union."  It  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  find  any  real  difference  between  these 
four  bodies,  their  doctrines,  discipline  and 
practices,  being  substantially  alike  ;  and 
probably  no  good  reason  can  be  assigned  why 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  321 

they  are  not  together  in  one  denomination. 
Yet  they  are  distinct,  and  have  separate  or- 
ganizations. We  shall  sketch  their  history 
according  to  the  dates  in  which  they  have 
appeared  in  this  city. 

AFRICAN    METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    ZION 
CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1796,  the  colored  members  of 
the  Methodist  Churches  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  feeling  a  desire  to  hold  meetings 
among  themselves,  where  they  might  have 
opportunity  to  exercise  their  spiritual  gifts, 
and  thereby,  as  they  hoped,  become  more 
useful  to  each  other,  obtained  permission 
from  Bishop  Asbury  to  hold  such  meetings 
in  the  intervals  of  the  regular  preaching  hours 
of  the  white  ministers.  Accordingly  a  house 
was  hired  and  fitted  up  in  Cross  street,  be- 
tween Mulberry  and  Orange  streets,  where 
meetings  were  statedly  held.  At  this  time 
there  were  three  colored  preachers  and  one 
exhorter  in  New  York  city.  These  things 
continued  for  about  three  years,  when  a  re- 
gular congregation  was  gathered,  and  a  house 
of  worship  was  built  on  Church  street,  corner 

of  Leonard  street,  and  opened  in  September, 
28 


322  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

1800.  The  corporation  was  legally  orga- 
nized in  February  following.  After  several 
years  the  house  of  worship  was  found  too 
small  for  the  congregation,  and  in  May,  1820, 
it  was  taken  down,  and  the  foundation  of 
another  was  laid,  to  be  55  feet  wide  and  70 
feet  long,  which  was  finished,  and  opened 
for  worship  in  August  of  the  same  year. 
This  building  was  consumed  by  fire  in  the 
year  1839,  and  the  present  house  of  worship 
was  erected  during  the  next  year. 

A  branch  of  the  Zion  Church  is  established 
at  Harlem,  called  "  Little  Zion,"  and  a  small 
brick  building  was  erected  there  in  1843. 
Another  branch  of  the  same  church  has 
been  established  in  Twenty-second  street, 
near  Seventh  avenue.  These  three  are  con- 
sidered at  present  as  one  pastoral  charge. 
The  Rev.  J.  A.  King  is  the  preacher  in 
charge,  and  they  report  at  this  time  on  the 
roll  of  communion  eleven  hundred  and 
ninety-six  members  at  Church  street,  sixty- 
six  at  Harlem,  and  fourteen  at  Twenty- 
second  street. 

This  branch  of  the  Methodist  Church  stood 
in  connection  with  the  white  conference  until 
1820,  when  they  separated,  and  since  that 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  323 

time  have  elected  superintendants  or  bishops 
of  their  own  color.  At  the  present  time  Rev. 
Christopher  Rush  and  Rev.  William  Miller 
are  superintendants;  and  their  last  annual 
minutes  report  four  annual  conferences, — 
viz. :  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
and  New  England,  containing  in  all  ninety- 
nine  churches. 

ASBURY   AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH. 

Such  is  the  style  adopted  by  another  dis- 
tinct portion  of  the  colored  Methodist  Church 
in  this  city.  It  was  in  the  year  1813,  that 
Thomas  Sipkins,  William  Miller,  and  some 
others  separated  from  the  Zion  Church,  and 
purchased  a  house  of  worship,  standing  on 
Elizabeth  street,  near  Walker,  which  had 
been  built  by  a  Congregational  Church, 
under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Townley,  where 
public  worship  was  commenced,  and  a  church 
formed,  which  was  called  the  "  Asbury 
Church." 

For  about  seven  years  the  Asbury  Church 
continued  to  stand  independently,  but  in 
November,  1820,  a  union  was  effected  be- 
tween this  church  and  the  Zion  Church, 


324  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

which  continued  about  two  years.     For  at 
least  twenty  years  succeeding  this,  the  Asbury 
Church  was  in  various  ecclesiastical  connec- 
tions ;  sometimes  standing  with  the  white 
churches,  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  con- 
nection, sometimes  with  the  African  Con- 
ference of  the  same  name,  and  sometimes 
with  the  Zion  Church.     Their  place  of  wor- 
ship was  also  frequently  changed.     Their 
house  of  worship  onElizabeth  street  being  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  they  occupied  for  some  time 
a  room  in  the  basement  of  the  Broadway 
Tabernacle,  entering  from   Anthony  street. 
They  were  also  in  a  hall  on  the  corner  of 
Elizabeth  and  Grand  streets,  and  then  occu- 
pied a  hall  on  Howard  street     After  this 
they  removed  to  Fourth  street,  near  the  East 
river,  and  at  length  an  individual  purchased 
for  them  a  house  of  worship,  standing  on 
Third  street,  near  Avenue  D,  and  to  this 
they  have  removed,  with   a  view   to   per- 
manency.     A  few  churches   of  the   same 
name  having  been  formed  in  other  places, 
their  preachers  met  in  convention  on  Sept. 
7th,  1844,  and  organized  themselves  into  a 
conference,  and  elected  the  Rev.  Francis  P. 
Graham  as  superintendant  or  bishop.     Their 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  325 

first  conference  was  held  in  June  follow- 
ing. 

The  church  in  Third  street  is  as  yet  the 
only  "  Asbury  Colored  Church"  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  It  contains  about  seventy 
members  in  communion.  The  Rev.  Brito  M. 
C.  Varick  is  the  present  officiating  minister. 

AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

In  November,  1787,  the  colored  people 
belonging  to  the  Methodist  Church  in  Phila- 
delphia, assembled  together  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  evils  under  which  they  labored 
from  their  connection  with  the  white  church- 
es, but  nothing  at  that  time  was  effected. 

In  1793,  the  number  of  colored  members 
having  considerably  increased,  Richard  Al- 
len, a  colored  preacher,  proposed  to  erect 
for  the  colored  people,  a  house  of  worship 
on  his  own  ground,  and  at  his  own  expense, 
which  he  did,  and  it  was  dedicated  to  the 
worship  of  God  by  the  Rev.  Francis  Asbury, 
then  bishop  of  the  Methodist  church  in  the 
United  States,  and  the  house  was  named 
"  Bethel."  Severe  contentions  followed,  as 
the  whites  claimed  both  the  house  and  the 
congregation  as  theirs,  which  claims,  the 
28* 


326  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

colored  people  resisted.  Similar  hardships 
were  experienced  by  the  colored  people  in 
Baltimore,  and  some  other  places,  and  at 
length,  in  the  month  of  April,  1816,  a  general 
convention  of  the  colored  people  in  the 
Methodist  churches,  was  held  in  Philadel- 
phia. A  new  connection  was  formed,  called 
"  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church," 
and  the  first  general  conference  was  held. 
At  this  meeting,  on  April  11,1816,  the  Rev. 
Richard  Allen  was  unanimously  elected 
Bishop.  Mr.  Allen  had  been  ordained  as  a 
deacon  by  Bishop  Asbury,  seventeen  years 
before,  and  was  at  this  time  set  apart  to  the 
Episcopal  office  by  prayer,  and  the  imposi- 
tion of  the  hands  of  five  ordained  ministers. 
Thus  this  denomination  commenced.  They 
are  sometimes  called  "  Allenites,"  after  the 
name  of  Bishop  Allen,  and  their  churches 
are  usually  called  the  "Bethel  Churches," 
after  the  name  given  to  the  first  church  in 
Philadelphia.  Bishop  Allen  died  in  Phila- 
delphia, March  26,  1831,  having  previously, 
in  1828,  ordained  the  Rev.  Morris  Brown 
as  his  assistant ;  and  since  his  death,  on  May 
15, 1836,  Bishop  Brown,  with  the  assistance 
of  five  elders,  ordained  the  Rev.  Edward 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  327 

Waters  to  the  Episcopate  with  himself. 
Bishop  Waters  has  since  deceased,  and  the 
Rev.  William  Paul  Quinn  supplies  his  place. 

There  is  but  one  colored  Methodist  church 
in  this  particular  connection,  in  this  city,  and 
this  commenced  in  the  early  part  of  the  year 
1820.  William  Lambert  and  George 
White,  two  preachers  in  this  connection, 
commenced  preaching  here  in  the  spring  of 
that  year.  A  building  was  obtained  in  Mott 
streetj  near  Walker  street,  and  opened  as  a 
place  of  public  worship,  July  23,  1820.  A 
church  was  organized,  and  the  Rev.  Henry 
Harden  became  its  pastor. 

This  church  continued  to  meet  in  Mott 
street  for  several  years,  having  a  moderate 
degree  of  prosperity,  until  their  house  of 
worship  was  destroyed  by  fire.  They  then 
met  for  a  time  in  Elizabeth  street,  and  in 
1835,  they  succeeded  in  erecting  a  decent 
brick  edifice  on  Second  street,  where  they 
remain  at  this  time.  A  small  branch  of  this 
church  has  been  founded  at  Harlem  within 
about  two  years,  but  both  meetings  are  un- 
der one  pastoral  supervision.  They  number 
in  communion,  seven  hundred  and  sixteen 
members  at  Second  street,  and  thirteen  at 


328  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

Harlem.     The  Rev.  John  Boggs  is  now  the 
preacher  in  charge. 

METHODIST  AFRICAN  UNION. 

This  is  the  designation  of  another  section 
of  the  Colored  Methodist  Church  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  It  is  an  independent  body, 
which  commenced  in  the  year  1826,  when 
a  church  of  seven  persons  was  formed. 
They  met  in  a  small  room  in  the  Seventh 
avenue,  near  Eighteenth  street.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, a  respectable  colored  man,  and  Mr. 
Isaac  Barney,  were  the  preachers.  They 
continued  their  meetings  regularly  for  about 
nine  years,  when  in  1835,  the  building 
where  they  met  was  consumed  by  fire,  and 
they  fitted  up  a  room  over  a  stable  in  the 
Sixth  avenue,  near  Fourth  street,  where  they 
met  for  four  or  five  years.  In  1840,  the 
congregation  succeeded  in  erecting  a  brick 
building,  measuring  fifty-three  feet  by 
twenty-four,  situated  on  Fifteenth  street, 
near  the  Sixth  avenue,  where  they  still  re- 
main; A  considerable  congregation  assem- 
bles here  on  the  Sabbath,  and  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  are  enrolled  in  communion. 
Mr.  Barney  still  holds  the  pastoral  office. 


METHODIST  CHURCH.  329 

A  small  branch  of  this  church  has  recently 
commenced  a  meeting  near  Yorkville,  but 
has  as  yet  no  distinct  organization. 


DATE     OF     THE      METHODIST     EPISCOPAL 
CHURCHES  IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

VTITH  THE  HUMBER  OF    COMMUNICANTS  IN  EACH,  AS    RE- 
PORTED  TO  CONFERENCE  IN  JUNE,  1845. 

Date.  Com. 

John  Street 1766  388 

Forsyth  Street .1790  655 

Duane  Street 1797  601 

Seventh  Street 1800  311 

Allen  Street 1810  955 

Bedford  Street 1810  1057 

Willet  Street 1819  664 

Eighteenth  Street 1829  819 

Greene  Street 1831  462 

Second  Street 1832  793 

Yorkville 1832  35 

Vestry  Street 1833  216 

Mulberry  Street 1834  277 

Twenty-seventh  Street 1834  209 

Harlem 1836  70 

Forty-first  Street 1840  94 

Twenty-fourth  Street 1842  105 

German  Mission 1842  184 

Asbury  Church 1842  475 

Sullivan  Street 1843  320 

Madison  Street 1843  270 

Mariners'  Methodist  Episcopal 1844  400 

Floating  Bethel 1845  25 

Jane  Street 1845 

Home  Mission  Church 1845 


I     210 


Churches  25  Members  9,595 


330  METHODIST  CHURCH. 


OTHER    METHODIST    CHURCHES    OF    WHITE 
MEMBERS. 

Methodist  Society 1820  300 

1st  Protestant  Methodist  Church 1828  200 

2d  Protestant  Methodist  Church 1826  20 

Welsh  Methodist 1828  105 

Primitive  Methodist 1 829  unkno'n 

German  Evangelical 1841  60 

1st  Wesleyan  Church 1841  85 

2d  Wesleyan  Church., 1843  35 


805 


COLORED  METHODIST  CHURCHES. 

Zion  Church 1801  1196 

Little  Zion 1843  66 

Twenty-second  Street 14 

Asbury    Church 1813  70 

Methodist  Episcopal,  or  Bethel  Church ...  1 820  736 

Branch  of  do.  (Harlem) 1843  13 

African  Union 1826  350 


Churches  15      '.T~.  Members  2,445 

Total  in  all  the  Methodist  Churches,  12,845. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 
1783. 


SIR  THOMAS  DONGAN,  who  was  governor 
of  New  York  under  James  II.,  about  the  year 
1685,  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  it  was 
during  his  administration  that  the  first  Ca- 
tholic families  settled  in  the  city.  But  the 
prejudices  of  the  people  against  them  were 
very  strong,  and  under  the  administration  of 
subsequent  Governors,  very  oppressive  laws 
were  passed.  There  was  even  a  law  passed 
in  one  instance,  for  hanging  every  Catholic 
priest  who  should  come  voluntarily  into  the 
colony.  There  is,  however,  no  evidence  that 
this  law  was  ever  enforced  It  is  true  that 
in  August,  1741,  John  Ury,  an  Englishman, 
who  was  a  Catholic  Priest,  was  publicly  ex- 
ecuted in  this  city.  But  he  was  indicted  as 
being  concerned  in  what  was  called  "  The 
Negro  Plot,"  which  was  a  supposed  conspi- 


332  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

racy  of  negroes,  and  others,  to  burn  the  city, 
and  murder  the  inhabitants ;  and  there  is  no 
evidence  that  the  law  formerly  passed  against 
the  Catholics  was  brought  into  view  at  all 
in  this  case.  There  was,  however,  a  most 
intolerant  spirit  reigning,  as  the  conside- 
ration of  another  fact  will  show.  Before 
the  Revolution,  the  port  of  New  York  was 
the  great  depot  of  the  captures  made  by  the 
British  cruisers.  In  the  month  of  February, 
1778,  a  large  armed  French  ship  was  taken 
by  the  British,  near  the  Chesapeake  bay,  and 
sent  into  New  York,  for  condemnation. 
Among  her  officers  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  De  la 
Motte,  a  Catholic  priest,  of  the  order  of  St. 
Augustin,  in  the  capacity  of  the  Ship's  Chap- 
lain ;  and  he,  with  the  other  officers,  was  per- 
mitted to  go  at  large  in  the  city,  within  cer- 
tain limits,  on  his  parole  of  honor.  Mr.  De 
la  Motte  was  solicited  by  his  countrymen 
and  by  those  of  his  own  faith,  to  hold  reli- 
gious service  according  to  the  forms  of  the 
Catholic  Church.  Being  apprised  of  the 
existence  of  some  prohibitory  law,  he  ap- 
plied to  the  Commandant  for  permission, 
which  it  seems  was  refused  ;  but  not  under- 
standing the  language  very  well,  Mr.  De  la 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.      333 

Motte  supposed  he  had  obtained  the  permis- 
sion, and  proceeded  to  hold  the  service. 
For  this  he  was  arrested,  and  kept  in  close 
confinement  until  he  was  exchanged.  Thus, 
until  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  while  the  English  laws  were  in  force  in 
the  country,  no  Catholic  clergyman  was  al- 
lowed to  officiate  in  this  State ;  but  after  the 
war,  and  when  the  independence  of  the 
country  was  acknowledged,  full  toleration 
was  enjoyed,  and  every  man  was  allowed 
to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of 
his  own  conscience.  The  Roman  Catholics 
in  this  city  took  immediate  advantage  of 
this,  and  in  November,  1783,  a  congregation 
was  formed  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
Andrew  Nugent,  who  it  is  believed  was 
sent  hither  by  the  Bishop  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  in  Maryland.  Their  place 
of  worship  was  in  a  building  erected  for 
public  purposes  in  Vauxhall  garden,  situated 
on  the  margin  of  the  North  river,  the  garden 
extending  from  Warren  to  Chambers  streets. 
One  of  the  most  active  men  in  this  enter- 
prise was  Sieur  de  St.  Jean  de  Crevecceux, 
then  consul  of  France,  for  New  York,  New 
Jersey  and  Connecticut,  who  with  Joze  Roiz 
29 


334  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

Silva,  James  Stewart,  and  Henry  Dufflin, 
became  incorporated  on  the  llth  of  June, 
1795,  by  the  name  and  style  of  the  "  Trus- 
tees of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  the 
city  of  New  York."  The  church  not  being 
well  accommodated  with  a  place  of  worship 
applied  for  the  use  of  the  "  Exchange,"  a 
building  then  standing  at  the  lower  end  of 
Broad  street,  and  occupied  as  a  court  room, 
but  failing  in  this,  measures  were  immedi- 
ately taken  for  the  erection  of  a  church  build- 
ing- 
Ground  having  been  procured  on  Barclay 
street,  corner  of  Church  street,  a  brick  edifice 
was  erected,  measuring  forty-eight  feet  by 
eighty-one,  and  so  far  finished  as  to  have 
mass  performed  for  the  first  time  within  its 
walls,  on  Saturday,  November  4, 1786.  The 
services  were  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Nugent,  as  pastor,  assisted  by  the  chaplain 
of  the  Spanish  ambassador,  and  the  Rev. 
Joze  Phelan. 

In  the  following  spring,  the  name  of  the 
church  was  changed  to  that  of  St.  Peter's. 

Mr.  Nugent  continued  to  officiate  until 
1788,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
William  O'Brien,  who  continued  pastor  of 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  335 

St.  Peter's  church  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  May  14,  1816.  The  Rev.  John  Pow- 
er, D.D.,  succeeded  Mr.  O'Brien  in  the  pas- 
toral office,  in  which  office  he  remains, 
having  now  as  a  colleague,  the  Rev.  Charles 
C.  Pise,  D.D. 

In  the  year  1836,  it  was  found  necessary 
to  rebuild  St.  Peter's  Church,  as  the  old 
one  was  going  to  decay,  and  was,  moreover, 
altogether  too  small  to  accommodate  the 
increasing  multitudes  who  resorted  thither. 
It  was  accordingly  taken  down,  and  a  most 
substantial  edifice  of  stone  was  erected  in  its 
place,  more  than  twice  as  large  as  the  ori- 
ginal building.  The  corner-stone  was  laid 
with  appropriate  services  by  Bishop  DuBois, 
October  26,  1836.  In  September  of  the 
following  year,  public  worship  was  com- 
menced in  the  basement,  and  on  February 
25,  1838,  the  principal  auditory  was  conse- 
crated by  Bishop  Hughes. 

ST.  PATRICK'S  CHURCH. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  St.  Peter's 
Church  was  the  only  Catholic  Church  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  but  the  denomination 
increasing  rapidly,  another  church  build- 


336      ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

ing  was  needed  for  their  accommodation. 
Accordingly,  in  the  year  1815,  a  very  spa- 
cious stone  building  was  erected  on  the 
corner  of  Mott  and  Prince  streets,  and  called 
"  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral."  Here,  within  a 
short  time,  a  large  assembly  was  collected, 
and  not  many  years  elapsed  before  it  was 
judged  expedient  to  enlarge  the  building. 
When  first  erected  it  was  120  feet  long  and 
80  wide,  and  now  36  feet  more  were  added 
to  the  length,  extending  the  building  from 
Mott  to  Mulberry  streets  ;  and  although  there 
are  no  galleries  in  the  house,  except  an  organ 
loft,  yet  probably  two  thousand  persons  can 
be  accommodated  on  the  principal  floor  of 
the  house.  This  cathedral  is  considered  the 
seat  of  the  Episcopate  in  this  diocese. 
Bishops  Hughes  and  McCloskey  reside  here, 
assisted  by  a  number  of  the  subordinate 
clergy. 

ST.  MARY'S  CHURCH. 

After  the  erection  of  St.  Patrick's  Cathe- 
dral, more  than  ten  years  elapsed  before  an- 
other Catholic  Church  was  built  in  the  city. 
But  the  Catholic  population  was  fast  in- 
creasing, especially  in  the  northeastern  part 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  337 

of  the  city,  and  farther  accommodations  were 
needed  for  them.  Accordingly,  towards  the 
close  of  the  year  1826,  a  building,  then 
vacated  by  the  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church, 
was  purchased,  and  a  congregation  collected. 
The  building  was  situated  oil  Sheriff  street, 
between  Broome  and  Delancy  streets.  It 
was  a  small  frame  building,  with  a  brick 
front  The  church  remained  here  between 
six  and  seven  years,  when  the  building  was 
consumed  by  fire.  A  large  and  convenient 
structure  was  immediately  erected  on  Grand 
street,  corner  of  Ridge  street,  and  opened  in, 
1833,  under  the  name  of  "  St.  Mary's 
Church."  The  Rev.  William  Starrs  is 
pastor. 

CHRIST'S  CHURCH,  ST.  JAMES'S,  AND  CHURCH 
OF  THE  TRANSFIGURATION. 

In  the  year  1825,  as  related  heretofore 
the  Episcopal  Church  in  Ann  street  near 
Nassau  became  extinct,  and  their  house  of 
worship  was  offered  for  sale.  At  the  close 
of  the  following  year  it  was  purchased  by  a 
church  of  Roman  Catholics,  then  formed, 
who  took  the  name  of  "  Christ's  Church," 
— the  name  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  whose 
29* 


338  ROMAN    CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

place  they  then  occupied.  Of  this  church, 
the  Rev.  Felix  Varela,  then  recently  from 
Spain,  became  pastor.  They  continued  in 
Ann  street,  in  ordinary  prosperity,  until  the 
year  1834,  when  the  church  edifice  was  con- 
sumed by  fire.  This  event  led  to  the  speedy 
establishment  of  two  churches.  The  congre- 
gation had  become  numerous,  and  a  part  of 
them,  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  East 
river,  wished  to  locate  in  that  direction.  A 
large  edifice  was  accordingly  put  up  on 
James  street,  near  Chatham,  and  opened  in 
the  year  1835, — legally  holding  the  old  cor- 
porate name  of  "  Christ's  Church,"  but 
known  among  the  people  as  "  St.  James's 
Church."  The  other  section  of  the  congre- 
gation purchased  a  house  of  worship  situated 
on  Chambers  street,  near  Centre  street,  which 
had  been  occupied  by  the  Reformed  Presby- 
terians, where  they  commenced  service  on 
March  13th,  1836.  This  was  called  the 
"  Church  of  the  Transfiguration."  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Varela  took  the  pastoral  charge  of  this 
church,  in  which  office  he  still  continues :  the 
Rev.  John  M.  Smith  is  pastor  of  St.  James's. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.          339 
ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH. 

Shortly  after  the  establishment  of  the 
church  in  Ann  street,  as  just  related,  the 
Catholic  population  increased  very  greatly 
in  the  northwest  part  of  the  city,  and  it  be- 
came necessary  to  provide  for  their  religious 
instructions.  This  led  to  the  erection  of 
"  St.  Joseph's  Church,"  standing  on  the  Sixth 
avenue,  corner  of  Barrow  street,  which  was 
opened  in  the  year  1833,  under  the  ministry 
of  the  Rev.  James  Cummisky. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Pise,  Rev.  Dr.  McCloskey, 
now  one  of  the  bishops  of  the  diocese,  and 
Rev.  Dr.  Manahan,  have  successively  minis- 
tered to  this  flock.  The  Rev.  Michael 
McCarron  now  holds  the  pastoral  office. 

GERMAN  CHURCHES. 

The  emigration  to  this  city,  of  Germans, 
has  been  very  great  for  the  last  ten  or  twelve 
years,  and  the  German  population  in  the 
city,  at  this  time,  is  computed  at  nearly  thirty 
thousand.  A  large  proportion  of  this  popula- 
tion are  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  and, 
to  provide  for  their  instruction,  there  have 
been  established  four  German  churches, — 


340      ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

viz. :  "  St.  Nicholas's  Church,"  in  Second 
street,  founded  in  1835,  of  which  the  Rev. 
A.  Buckmeyer  is  now  pastor ;  the  "  Church 
of  St.  John  the  Baptist,"  situated  on  Thir- 
tieth street,  near  Eighth  avenue,  founded  in 
1840,  of  which  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Jacop  is  pas- 
tor ;  «  St.  Francis'  Church,"  in  Thirty-first 
street,  near  the  Seventh  avenue,  founded  in 
the  year  1844,  of  which  the  Rev.  Zacharias 
Kunze  is  pastor ;  and  "  The  Church  of  the 
most  Holy  Redeemer,"  situated  on  Third 
street,  near  Avenue  B,  founded  in  1844,  of 
which  the  Rev.  Gabriel  Rumpler  is  pastor. 
In  these  churches  the  service  is  conducted  in 
the  German  language.  As  these  churches 
are  of  recent  origin,  the  above  facts  comprise 
about  the  whole  of  their  history. 

ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCH. 

A  large  Catholic  population  had  settled  at 
Harlem,  and  to  accommodate  them  with  a 
house  of  worship,  a  large  edifice  of  stone, 
measuring  seventy-two  feet  by  fifty-two, 
was  erected  in  the  year  1835.  The  Rev. 
John  Walsh  is  the  officiating  minister. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.          341 

ST.  ANDREW'S  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1840,  another  Catholic  Church 
was  formed,  called  "  St.  Andrew's  Church," 
under  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Rev.  John 
Maginnis.  A  house  of  worship,  originally 
built  by  a  Universalist  Society,  situated  on 
Duane  street,  near  Chatham,  was  purchased, 
and  here  they  remain. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  NATIVITY. 

Such  is  the  style  of  a  Catholic  Church 
formed  in  the  year  1841.  At  that  time  the 
"  Second  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church," 
finding  themselves  embarrassed,  felt  obliged 
to  relinquish  their  house  of  worship  to  their 
creditors.  It  was  sold  at  auction,  and  pur- 
chased by  this  Catholic  Church.  It  has 
since  been  enlarged.  A  very  numerous 
congregation  assemble  here.  The  Rev. 
Edward  O'Neil  is  pastor. 

CHURCH  OF   ST.  JOHN  THE  EVANGELIST. 

This  church  was  founded  in  1842.  The 
church-edifice  is  of  wood,  rather  a  frail 
building,  but  capable  of  accommodating  a 
large  congregation.  It  stands  on  the  Fifth 


342      ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

avenue,  near  the  Institution  for  the  Deaf  and 
Dumb.     The  Rev.  Felix  Larkin  is  pastor. 

CHURCH  OF  ST.  VINCENT  DE  PAUL. 

In  the  summer  of  1839,  the  Episcopal 
"  Church  of  the  Ascension,"  standing  on 
Canal  street,  near  Broadway,  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  and  that  congregation  rebuilt  their 
church-edifice  on  the  Fifth  avenue.  In  a 
year  or  two  after  this,  the  site  of  the  old 
church  in  Canal  street  was  purchased  by  a 
church  formed  of  French  Catholics,  un&er 
the  above  name.  Their  present  house  of 
worship  was  built  in  1843.  The  Rev.  Ounet 
Lafont  is  the  present  pastor.  The  service 
is  conducted  in  the  French  language. 

CHURCH  OF  ST.  COLUMB^. 

This  is  the  last  Catholic  Church  formed 
in  the  city.  It  was  organized  in  1845,  when  a 
large  and  handsome  edifice  was  erected  on 
Twenty-fifth  street,  near  the  Ninth  avenue. 
The  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Burke  is  pastor. 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  343 


LIST  OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCHES 
IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK,  WITH  THE 
DATE  OF  THEIR  ORGANIZATION. 

St.  Peter's  Church,  Barclay  street 1783 

St.  Patrick's  Church,  Mott  street, 1815 

St.  Mary's  Church,  Grand  street, 1826 

Christ's  Church,  Ann  street  (now  extinct), 1826 

St.  Joseph's  Church,  Sixth  avenue 1833 

St  James's  Church,  James  street, 1835 

St.  Paul's  Church,  Harlem, 1835 

St.  Nicholas'  Church  (German),  Second  street, 1835 

Church  of  the  Transfiguration,  Chambers  street,..  1836 

St.  Andrew's  Church,  Duane  street, 1840 

St.  John  the  Baptist  (German),  Thirtieth  street,....  1840 

Church  of  the  Nativity,  Second  avenue, 1841 

Church  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  Fifth  avenue,  1842 
Church  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  (French),  Canal 

street, 1843 

St.  Francis'  Church  (German),  Thirty-first  street,  1844 
Church  of  the  Holy  Redeemer  (German),  Third 

street, 1844 

Church  of  St.  Columbae,  Twenty-fifth  street , 1845 

Churches  16 


UNIVEKSALIST  CHURCH. 
1796. 


A  FEW  discourses  on  the  subject  of  Uni- 
versal Salvation  had  been  delivered  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  by  the  Rev.  John  Mur- 
ray, and  other  preachers,  who  as  they  were 
journeying  would  stop  in  the  city  for  a  day 
or  two,  and  hold  a  meeting.  Thus  several 
years  passed,  and  nothing  permanent  was 
effected. 

The  final  establishment  of  the  denomination 
in  the  city  was  peculiar.  Three  prominent 
members  of  the  John  Street  Methodist 
Church,  viz.,  Abraham  E.  Brouwer,  Robert 
Snow,  and  Edward  Mitchell,  while  they  still 
held  to  spiritual  religion,  the  Divinity  of 
Christ,  and  atonement  only  through  his 
blood,  had  adopted  the  belief  of  limited  fu- 
ture punishment,  and  a  final  restitution  of 
all  things.  On  account  of  this  sentiment 


UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH.  345 

their  situation  in  the  church  became  un- 
pleasant, and  they  withdrew  from  it  with 
fair  characters,  on  the  28th  of  April,  1796. 
In  the  following  month,  being  joined  by 
several  others,  they  formed  themselves  into 
a  religious  society,  styled  "  The  Society  of 
United  Christian  Friends,  in  the  city  of 
New  York."  Fourteen  members  were  en- 
rolled at  the  organization.  The  constitution 
they  adopted,  provided  for  the  annual  elec- 
tion of  an  Elder  from  among  themselves  to 
lead  their  meetings,  and  take  the  oversight 
of  the  society,  as  well  as  for  an  indefinite 
number  of  public  speakers  ;  and  also  for  the 
celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism,  and  other  religious  observ- 
ances. 

The  society  first  worshipped  in  the  house 
of  Mr.  Brouwer,  but  the  number  of  mem- 
bers increasing  it  was  judged  expedient  to 
build,  and  a  small  edifice  was  accordingly 
erected  in  Vandewater  street,  near  to  the 
spot  where  the  Episcopal  Church  now 
stands. 

For  about  seven  years  after  the  formation 
of  the  society,  they  adhered  to  their  original 
plan  of  conducting  their  meetings  among 
30 


346  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

themselves,  and  edifying  each  other  by  such 
gifts  as  they  possessed.  In  these  exercises 
Mr.  Edward  Mitchell,  one  of  the  original 
members,  was  a  leading  man,  and  his  la- 
bors being  acceptable  and  useful,  he  was 
requested  by  the  society  to  become  their 
stated  preacher,  and  was  ordained  as  such 
July  18th,  1803.  The  society  was  soon  con- 
siderably enlarged,  and  being  straitened 
for  room,  they  disposed  of  their  house  of 
worship,  and  purchased  one  then  recently 
built,  standing  on  Pearl  street,  between 
Chatham  and  Cross  street.*  In  the  spring 
of  1810,  Mr.  Mitchell  received  an  invitation 
to  settle  in  Bqston,  as  a  colleague  with  the 
Rev.  John  Murray,  which  he  thought  proper 
to  accept,  and  he  left  New  York  in  August 
following.  But  in  the  next  year  he  was  re- 
called by  the  congregation  at  New  York, 
and  returned  here  in  Oct.,  1811,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  pastoral  office  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  in  the  year  1834,  having 

*  This  house  is  still  standing.  It  was  originally  built 
on  the  street,  with  a  burying  ground  in  the  rear,  but  was 
afterwards  removed  over  the  burying  ground,  and  houses 
built  on  the  street.  The  house  is  now  occupied  by  the 
Zion  Baptist  Church  of  colored  persons. 


UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH.  347 

been   connected   with  the   society  from  its 
commencement,  a  period  of  forty  years. 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Mitchell's  return  from 
Boston,  the  people  began  to  consider  the 
subject  of  building  a  new  and  larger  house 
of  worship,  which  was  carried  into  effect. 
Ground  was  rented  on  the  -corner  of  Duane 
and  Augustus  street,  now  "  City  Hall  place," 
and  a  substantial  brick  building4was  erected, 
at  a  cost  of  about  $20,000.  It  was  opened 
in  Dec.,  1818.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Mitchell,  the  meeting  was  led  for  a  year  by 
Mr.  Edward  Cook,  a  member  of  the  society, 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pickering  was  afterwards 
employed  for  two  years.  At  this  time  the 
society  had  become  considerably  reduced  in 
numbers,  other  congregations  having  been 
established ;  and  an  opportunity  presenting 
in  the  year  1S37,  they  rented  their  house  of 
Worship  to  the  "  West  Baptist  Church,"  and 
retired  to  a  Hall  in  Forsyth  street.  The 
house  of  worship  has  been  subsequently 
sold  to  a  Roman  Catholic  Church.  The 
Society  of  United  Christian  Friends,  more 
generally  known  in  the  city  as  the  "  First 
Universalist  Church,"  have  now  ceased  to 
meet  for  public  worship. 


348  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

PRINCE  STREET  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1824,  a  society  of  Universal- 
ists  was  formed  under  the  ministry  of  the 
Rev.  Nehemiah  Dodge,  and  a  house  of 
worship  was  built  on  the  corner  of  Prince 
and  Marion  Streets.  After  a  ministry  of 
about  two  or  three  years,  Mr.  Dodge  left, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  celebrated  Abner 
Kneeland,  whose  impious  ravings  soon 
scattered  the  congregation,  and  the  house 
was  sold  in  1830,  to  the  Union  Presbyterian 
Church. 

ORCHARD  STREET  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

About  the  year  1830,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
J.  Sawyer  commenced  preaching  in  a  small 
frame  building  standing  on  Grand  street,  not 
far  from  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and 
a  considerable  congregation  was  here  col- 
lected. A  very  commodious  house  of  wor- 
ship had  been  erected  by  a  Reformed  Dutch 
Church,  standing  on  Orchard  street,  between 
Broome  and  Delancy  streets.  This  was 
about  to  be  sold,  and  was  purchased  by  the 
Universalist  society  in  1832,  and  a  large  and 
flourishing  congregation  has  been  collected 


UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH.  349 

here.  Mr.  Sawyer  continued  in  the  pastoral 
office  until  the  summer  of  1845,  when  he  re- 
signed his  charge,  and  left  the  city.  The 
Rev.  Otis  A.  Skinner  is  the  present  mini- 
ster. 

BLEECKER  STREET  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

This  congregation  was  commenced  in 
1832.  The  first  place  of  meeting  was  a 
small  house  of  worship,  now  standing  on 
the  Sixth  avenue,  opposite  Amity  street 
The  Rev.  C.  F.  Lefevre  became  pastor  of 
the  church,  and  continued  to  officiate  ac- 
ceptably for  six  years,  when  he  resigned  the 
charge.  But  during  this  time,  the^  congre- 
gation became  large  and  permanent,  and  in 
1836,  a  very  substantial  brick  edifice  was 
erected  on  the  corner  of  Bleecker  and  Down- 
ing streets,  at  a  cost  of  $43,000.  After  Mr. 
Lefevre  left,  the  Rev.  Melzar  Raynor  sup- 
plied the  pulpit  for  a  year  or  more,  but 
had  not  the  pastoral  charge.  The  present 
pastor,  the  Rev.  William  S.  Balch,  was 
settled  in  November,  1841. 
30* 


350  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

ELIZABETH  STREET  UNIVERSALIST 
CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1837,  an  effort  was  made  by 
the  Rev.  William  Whitaker,  to  establish  a 
Universalist  congregation,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose a  meeting  was  opened  in  a  Hall  on 
Broadway.  A  considerable  congregation 
was  gathered,  and  in  1838,  they  removed  to 
a  meeting-house  in  Duane  street,  near 
Chatham,  formerly  occupied  by  the  First 
Universalist  Church,  and  just  then  vacated 
by  the  West  Baptist  Church.  Toward  the 
close  of  1839,  Mr.  Whitaker  changed  his 
religious  views,  and  became  the  minister  of 
the  Fourth  Free  Presbyterian  Church, 
About  the  same  time  the  Bowery  Church 
edifice  being  for  sale,  it  was  purchased  by 
the  Universalist  Society,  raised  by  the  labors 
of  Mr.  Whitaker,  and  others  who  joined 
them  at  that  time,  and  here  they  have  re- 
mained, known  as  the  Fourth,  or  Elizabeth 
Street  Universalist  Church. 

For  two  years  they  were  supplied  by  the 
Rev.  I.  D.  Williamson,  and  after  this  the 
Rev.  Moses  Ballou  held  the  pastoral  office 
for  about  two  years  longer.  He  left  in  1845, 


UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH.  351 

when  the  present  minister,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
L.  Harris,  was  obtained. 

FIFTH  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

The  meeting  above  named  was  com- 
menced in  the  year  1840,  in  a  Hall  on  Hous- 
ton street.  The  Rev.  B.  B.  Halleck  was  the 
preacher  for  about  three  years.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  pastoral  office  by  the  Rev.  J.  N. 
Parker,  who  commenced  his  labors  soon  after 
Mr.  Halleck  left.  In  1843,  the  congregation 
completed  a  very  neat  brick  edifice,  stand- 
ing on  Fourth  street,  near  Avenue  C,  where 
they  now  assemble.  A  considerable  con- 
gregation assemble  here,  and  their  prospects 
are  encouraging. 

In  the  spring  of  1846,  Mr.  Parker  left,  and 
no  pastor  has  as  yet  been  installed  in  his 
place. 


UNIVERSALIST  CHURCHES  IN  NEW  YORK. 

When  founded. 

First  Church,  Duane  street 1796    extinct. 

Prince  Street  Church 1824    extinct. 

Second  Church,  Orchard  street 1830 

Third  Church,  Bleecker  street 1832 

Fourth  Church,  Elizabeth  street 1837 

Fifth  Church,  Fourth  street 1840 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 
1804. 


As  far  as  information  can  be  obtained, 
there  have  been  formed  in  New  York  city 
seventeen  Congregational  Churches,  besides 
the  church  formed  at  the  Broadway  Taber- 
nacle, by  Mr.  Finney,  in  1836, — a  sketch  of 
which  has  been  given  on  a  previous  page, 
which,  though  claiming  to  be  Congregational, 
cannot  be  recognized  as  such.  Of  these 
seventeen  churches,  nine  have  become  ex- 
tinct, and  eight  only  remain.  The  following 
brief  sketch  of  each  is  given  from  such  scanty 
materials  as  can  now  be  found. 

FIRST    CONGREGATIONAL    CflURCH,    OF 
NEW  YORK. 

About  the  year  1804,  the  Rev.  John 
Townly,  a  Congregational  minister,  estab- 
lished a  religious  meeting  in  an  old  frame 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  353 

building  then  standing  on  Warren  street, 
just  out  of  Broadway.  A  considerable  num- 
ber of  persons  attended  on  his  ministry,  and 
a  Congregational  Church  was  formed.  The 
number  of  original  members  cannot  now  be 
ascertained,  but  in  the  course  of  three  or  four 
years  the  number  of  communicants  had  in- 
creased to  nearly  one  hundred.  Mr.  Townly 
continued  to  labor  in  Warren  street  for  the 
space  of  four  or  five  years,  assisted  occasion- 
ally by  the  late  Rev.  John  Sandford  and  the 
Rev.  Archibald  Maclay,  who  was  then  a 
Congregationalist. 

The  congregation,  finding  their  numbers 
increasing,  were  encouraged  to  erect  a  house 
of  worship  on  Elizabeth  street,  between 
Walker  and  Hester  streets,  to  which  they 
removed  about  the  year  1809.  But  here, 
though  better  accommodated,  they  were  sub- 
ject to  an  embarrassment.  They  were  in 
debt  for  their  building,  and  after  about  four 
or  five  years  of  effort,  Mr.  Townly  resigned 
his  charge,  and  left  the  city ;  the  house  of  wor- 
ship was  sold  to  the  Asbury  colored  Me- 
thodists, and  the  church  was  scattered. 


354  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

INDEPENDENT  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

The  Rev.  J.  S.  C.  F.  Frey,  a  converted 
Jew,  came  to  New  York,  from  London,  in 
the  autumn  of  the  year  1  816.  He  was  con- 
nected in  England  with  the  Independent  or 
Congregational  Church,  and  soon  after  his 
arrival  in  this  city,  it  was  proposed  to  attempt 
the  formation  of  such  a  church  here.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  the  month  of  June,  1817,  Mr. 
Frey  commenced  preaching  in  a  schoolhouse 
on  Mulberry  street,  and  a  church  was  there 
organized.  The  room  they  occupied,  though 
twice  enlarged,  proved  too  small  for  the  con- 
gregation, and  a  frame  building,  now  stand- 
ing in  the  rear  of  No.  488  Pearl  street,  near 
Cross  street,  and  which  had  been  occupied 
as  a  meeting-house  by  a  Universalist  society, 
was  purchased.  Here  a  still  larger  congre- 
gation assembled,  and  for  two  or  three  years 
Mr.  Frey  continued  to  labor  with  success. 
On  the  15th  of  April,  1818,  Mr.  Frey  was 
installed  pastor  of  the  church,  by  the  "  West 
Chester  and  Morris  County  Presbytery."* 

*  It  is  not  precisely  known  what  this  ecclesiastical 
body  really  was.  Mr.  Frey,  in  his  "  Narrati  ve,"  from 
which  the  above  facts  are  selected,  calls  it  a  "  Presbytery," 
and  yet  says  that  he  was  an  Independent  or  Congregation 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  355 

In  the  year  1820,  it  was  thought  advisable  by 
Mr.  Frey  and  the  church  to  change  their 
form  of  government  to  that  of  Presbyterian- 
ism,  and  to  propose  a  union  with  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York,  and  this  union  was 
effected  in  October,  1821.  But  previous  to 
this  time  the  congregation  had  removed  to  a 
new  house  of  worship  on  Vandewater  street, 
and  they  thenceforth  adopted  that  name. 
Their  sketch  as  a  Presbyterian  Church  has 
been  given  on  page  163. 

BROADWAY  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

Not  far  from  the  year  1817,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Ball  was  preaching  in  a  building,  used  as  a 
house  of  worship,  standing  on  Broadway, 
corner  of  Anthony  street,  where  he  formed  a 
Congregational  Church.  He  died  here,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son.  Very  little  infor- 
mation can  now  be  obtained  respecting  this 
church,  for  it  was  soon  scattered,  and  the 
building  passed  into  other  hands. 

alist  in  England,  and  that  the  church  formed  was  of  that 
denomination.  The  facts  are  given  as  they  are  found, 
without  any  attempt  to  reconcile  them. 


356  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

PROVIDENCE  CHAPEL. 

This  is  the  name  adopted  by  a  Congrega- 
tional Church,  formed  in  the  year  1819.  It 
was  gathered  by  the  labors  of  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Harrison,  who  was  installed  pastor 
of  the  church  in  the  same  year.  The  church 
consisted  of  twelve  members  only  at  its 
formation.  For  three  years  they  assembled 
in  a  hall  on  the  corner  of  what  was  then 
Chapel  and  Provost  streets,  but  now  Frank- 
lin street  and  West  Broadway.  In  1823,  a 
house  of  worship  was  built  on  Thompson 
street,  near  Broome  street,  measuring  60  feet 
by  40,  at  a  cost  of  $8000.  The  congrega- 
tion have  continued  here  to  the  present  time. 
It  is  a  regular  and  respectable  assembly; 
never  very  large,  but  generally  in  a  healthful 
state.  The  present  number  of  commu- 
nicants is  about  one  hundred.  Mr.  Harrison 
remains  their  pastor. 

BROOME  STREET  CHURCH. 

About  the  year  1816  or  1817,  there  was  a 
meeting  opened  in  Rose  street,  by  a  Mr. 
Broad,  a  very  eccentric  man,  and  whose 
character  was  bad.  His  meeting  broke  up, 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  357 

and  the  house  he  occupied  for  worship  was 
hired  by  the  Rev.  Alexander  Cummings,  an 
English  Independent  minister,  who  com- 
menced preaching,  and  formed  a  Congrega- 
tional Church.  About  the  year  1820,  when 
the  Bethel  Baptist  Church  took  possession 
of  their  new  house  of  worship  on  Delancy 
street,  Mr.  Cummings'  congregation  hired 
the  meeting-house  in  Broome  street,  which 
the  Baptist  Church  had  occupied,  and  re- 
moved there.  In  the  spring  of  1821,  a  pro- 
posal was  made  by  this  church  to  become 
Presbyterian,  and  unite  with  the  New  York 
Presbytery ;  but,  after  some  negotiation  and 
delay,  the  overture  was  declined  by  the  Pres- 
bytery, and  the  proposal  was  withdrawn. 
Mr.  Cummings  continued  preaching  for  a 
year  or  more  after  this,  but  in  1822  he  left 
for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  church  at 
Babylon,  on  Long  Island,  and  the  "  Broome 
Street  Congregational  Church"  ceased  opera- 
tions, and  soon  became  extinct.  Mr.  Cum- 
mings supplied  the  church  at  Babylon  about 
two  years,  when  he  returned  to  Brooklyn, 
and  engaged  in  teaching.  He  died  at  Brook- 
lyn in  February,  1826,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
31 


358  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

seven  years.     He  was  a  man  of  good  charac- 
ter and  correct  sentiments. 

WELSH  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

A  Congregational  Church  was  formed  not 
far  from  the  year  1824  or  1825,  a  large  part 
of  whom  were  from  Wales,  and  a  part  of 
the  services  were  held  in  the  Welsh  lan- 
guage. They  met  in  the  upper  part  of  Mul- 
berry street,  and,  after  a  year  or  more,  the 
Rev.  James  Davies  became  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  continued  with  them  for  about 
seven  years,  when  he  resigned  his  charge, 
and  went  into  the  western  country.  Another 
minister  of  the  same  name  succeeded  him, 
who  died  soon.  The  congregation  then  re- 
moved to  a  house  of  worship  in  Broome 
street,  near  the  Bowery,  and  were  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Jenkin  Jenkins, 
when,  in  1833,  they  changed  their  form  of 
government  to  that  of  Presbyterian,  and 
united  with  the  Third  Presbytery,  where  they 
now  remain. 

See  sketch  of  Presbyterianism,  page  185. 
See  also  sketch  of  the  Welsh  Calvinistic 
Methodists,  page  311. 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  359 

"  THIRD   CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH." 

Such  was  the  style  of  a  church  formed 
about  the  year  1824,  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  city,  in  connection  with  the  labors  of 
the  Rev.  John  Dick.  In  the  course  of  two 
years,  a  frame  building  with  a  brick  front 
was  put  up  on  Third  street,  near  avenue  D, 
which  was  finished  and  opened  for  worship 
in  1826.  Not  more  than  six  months  after 
this,  Mr.  Dick  was  silenced  on  account  of 
immoralities,  the  church  and  congregation 
scattered,  and  the  house  of  worship  was  sold 
for  its  debts.  It  is  now  occupied  by  the 
Asbury  colored  Methodists. 

FIRST  FREE    CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

When  Mr.  Finney  left  the  Chatham 
Street  Chapel,  in  1836,  and  went  to  the 
Broadway  Tabernacle,  he  took  with  him  a 
large  portion  of  what  had  been  the  "  Second 
Free  Presbyterian  Church."  Those  who 
remained  behind  called  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Mar- 
tyn,  and  adopted  the  Congregational  form. 
They  styled  themselves  at  that  time,  the 
Second  Free  Congregational  Church,  con- 
sidering the  one  just  formed  at  the  Taber- 
nacle as  the  First. 


360  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

The  Chatham  Street  Chapel  was  soon 
after  given  up,  and  the  church  retired  to  a 
hall.  Mr  Martyn  was  dismissed  in  1836, 
and  for  several  years  they  had  no  pastor. 

In  the  autumn  of  1841,  the  church  recalled 
Mr.  Martyn,  and  obtained  a  lease  of  the 
house  of  worship  on  the  corner  of  Christie 
and  Delancy  streets,  known  as  the  "  Bethel 
Baptist  Meeting-house."  This  house  they 
repaired,  and  occupied  for  nearly  two  years, 
when  they  sold  out  their  lease ;  and  have 
since  that  time  erected  a  commodious  brick 
edifice,  on  Christie  street,  between  Delancy 
and  Rivington  streets,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$7,000.  It  was  opened  for  worship  October 
15, 1845.  In  September,  1844,  they  changed 
their  title  from  the  "  Second"  to  that  of  the 
"  First"  Church.  The  present  number  of 
communicants  is  two  hundred  and  fifty. 
Mr.  Martyn  still  holds  the  pastoral  office. 

"  NEW    YORK    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH." 

In  the  autumn  of  1837,  after  the  Bowery 
Church  had  ceased  operations,  several  per- 
sons who  had  been  educated  in  New  Eng- 
land, started  the  plan  of  purchasing  that 
building,  and  forming  a  Congregational 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  361 

Church,  after  the  New  England  model. 
About. fifty  members  were  found,  a  council 
was  called,  and  the  church  was  regularly 
constituted,  and  called  "  The  New  York 
Congregational  Church,"  and  the  Rev.  Henry 
Benedict  was  installed  its  pastor.  For  a 
time  everything  looked  encouraging  ;  a  con- 
siderable assembly  attended  public  worship, 
and  additions  were  made  to  the  church  from 
time  to  time.  But  troubles  of  various  kinds 
arose,  and  in  less  than  two  years  Mr.  Bene- 
dict took  his  dismission.  The  congregation 
then  gave  up  the  house  of  worship,  and 
mingled  for  a  time  with  the  Lutheran  con- 
gregation in  Orange  street,  who  were  then 
destitute  of  stated  preaching.  After  this 
they  occupied  the  National  Hall  in  Canal 
street  for  several  months,  and  then  removed 
back  to  the  basement  of  the  Bowery  Church, 
having  the  Rev.  George  R.  Haswell  as  a 
supply ;  till  at  length,  seeing  no  fair  prospect 
before  them,  they  broke  up  and  scattered. 

FIFTH  WARD  MISSION  CHURCH. 

The  enterprise  which  resulted  in  the  forma- 
tion   of   this   church  was   commenced   by 
opening  for  public  worship  the   Philoma- 
31* 


362  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

thean  Hall  in  Duane  street,  near  Hudson, 
on  January  19, 1.840.  In  about  three  months 
after,  a  room  was  hired  and  fitted  up  at  328 
Washington  street,  and  the  church  was  there 
organized  on  June  7,  1840.  Five  original 
members  were  enrolled,  but  additions  were 
made  at  their  first  communion,  and  again, 
from  time  to  time,  until  forty-eight  persons 
had  been  received  to  communion.  This 
church  never  had  a  settled  pastor,  nor  a 
house  of  worship,  but  the  congregation  were 
at  one  time  in  the  Marion  House  Chapel, 
and  then  in  a  hall  in  Greenwich  street,  near 
Barclay.  The  Rev.  Benjamin  Lockwood, 
a  missionary  of  the  New  York  City  Tract 
Society,  was  the  stated  preacher  to  this  con- 
gregation, and  took  the  charge  of  this  church 
all  the  time  of  its  existence.  It  was  finally 
dissolved  in  an  orderly  manner,  January  24, 
1843. 

TABERNACLE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

When  the  body  of  the  Tabernacle  Presby- 
terian Church,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Parker,  removed  from  the  building, 
as  related  on  page  181,  there  was  a  "rem- 
nant that  remained,"  and  at  the  close  of  the 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  363 

last  meeting  held  there  by  the  Presbyterian 
church,  on  July  13,  1840,  those  who  were 
disposed  to  unite  in  a  new  enterprise,  to  be 
strictly  Congregational,  were  invited  to  re- 
main ;  and  between  thirty  and  forty  brethren 
remained,  and  after  prayer,  it  was  resolved 
to  take  measures  for  the  formation  of  a  Con- 
gregational church.  This  was  effected  on 
the  3d  of  September,  1840,  by  a  council 
called  for  that  purpose,  and  sixty-nine  mem- 
bers were  then  enrolled.  With  the  most 
commendable  liberality,  the  purchaser  of  the 
Tabernacle,  Mr.  David  Hale,  offered  the 
building  to  the  new  church  on  such  terms 
as  would  secure  to  them  the  possession  of  it 
undisturbed,  and  ultimately  the  ownership 
and  control  of  the  same,  which  offer  was 
accepted.  The  church  was  not  long  with- 
out a  pastor,  the  Rev.  E.  W.  Andrews  being 
installed  as  such  on  January,  31, 1841.  The 
ministry  of  Mr.  Andrews  was  terminated  by 
his  dismission  on  August  14, 1845,  he  hav- 
ing accepted  the  pastoral  office  in  the  Second 
Street  Presbyterian  Church  in  Troy. 

The  present  pastor  of  the  church,  the  Rev. 
J.  P.  Thompson,  was  installed  April  15, 
1845. 


364  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

The  prospects  of  this  church  are  very 
good.  A  large  congregation  is  always 
found  at  the  Tabernacle,  and  the  church  now 
numbers  in  communion  three  hundred  and 
sixty-two  members. 

SECOND  FREE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

The  Rev.  Asa  Mahan,  President  of  the 
Oberlin  Institution,  preached  in  "  Niblors 
Saloon"  during  the  winter  of  1842-3,  and 
gathered  a  considerable  congregation.  In 
the  spring  following  the  congregation  re- 
moved to  the  lecture-room  of  the  Medical 
College  in  Crosby  street,  and  on  April  22, 
1842,  a  Congregational  church  of  thirty- 
seven  members  was  formed.  Of  this  church 
the  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Cochran  became  pastor. 
In  the  winter  following,  Rev.  Charles  G. 
Finney  preached  to  this  congregation  for  a 
few  months,  when  the  meetings  were  again 
held  in  Niblo's  Saloon.  In  the  spring  they 
returned  to  the  Medical  College,  and  re- 
mained there  until  December,  1845,  when 
they  took  possession  of  a  very  neat  and  con- 
venient brick  edifice  which  they  had  erected 
on  Sullivan  street,  near  Houston,  at  a  cost 
of  about  $7,000. 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  .  365 

Mr.  Cochran  is  still  pastor.  Present  num- 
ber of  communicants  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty. 

FOURTH  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

This  is  the  style  of  a  Congregational 
church  which  was  formed  in  the  beginning 
of  1843. 

Some  difficulties  having  occurred  in  the 
Protestant  Methodist  church  in  Sullivan 
street,  a  few  of  the  members  felt  themselves 
providentially  called  upon  to  separate  there- 
from. They  met  together  on  August  28, 
1842,  and  after  a  free  interchange  of  views, 
agreed  to  form  themselves  into  a  Congrega- 
tional church.  The  organization  of  the 
church  was  accomplished  in  an  orderly  man- 
ner by  a  council  called  for  that  purpose,  on 
January  3,  1823,  when  the  Rev.  Wm.  W. 
Wallace,  M.D.,  was  installed  pastor.  The 
Sermon  on  this  occasion  was  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Andrews  of  the  Tabernacle  church. 
The  congregation  have  as  yet  no  house  of 
worship,  but  at  present  they  occupy  a  Hall 
in  Hancock  street,  near  Bleecker.  They 
have  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  mem- 


366  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

bers  in  communion.     Dr.  Wallace  remains 
in  the  pastoral  office. 

"  ROBINSON  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH." 

A  church  by  this  name  was  formed  with 
fourteen  members,  January  21, 1845.  The 
Rev.  Charles  Chamberlain,  from  Berkley, 
Mass.,  was  engaged  to  preach,  and  a  small 
building  was  hired,  which  had  been  pre- 
viously used  as  a  place  of  worship,  situated 
on  Eighteenth  street,  near  the  Eighth  ave- 
nue. The  meeting  was  continued  but  a 
few  months,  for  in  June  following,  Mr. 
Chamberlain  left  the  city,  and  the  church 
was  dissolved. 

FIFTH  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  gathered  by  the  labors 
of  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Braine,  and  was  organized 
with  thirty  members  in  the  month  of  March, 
1844.  They  met  for  a  time  in  a  room  in 
Sixteenth  -street,  near  the  Eighth  avenue ; 
and  after  the  breaking  up  of  the  "  Robinson 
Congregational  Church"  they  removed  to 
Eighteenth  street,  where  they  still  remain. 
The  church  has  increased  to  about  forty 
in  communion.  The  congregation  is  con- 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.  367 

siderably  full ;  and  the  Sabbath-school  is  in 
a  flourishing  condition. 

Mr.  Braine  continued  to  officiate  in  this 
church  until  the  early  part  of  1846,  when  he 
renounced  the  principles  of  infant  baptism, 
and  took  his  dismission.  The  Rev.  Benja- 
min Lockwood  was  soon  after  invited  to 
take  the  pastoral  office  in  this  church,  and 
has  entered  on  his  labors. 


COLORED  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

Some  time  in  the  year  1844,  Rev.  Charles 
B.  Ray,  a  colored  preacher,  opened  a  meet- 
ing in  a  Hall  on  Grand  street,  near  the  Cen- 
tre Market,  sustained  principally  by  the  First 
and  Second  Free  Congregational  Churches. 
His  preaching  was  attended  with  some  suc- 
cess, and  in  the  last  week  of  February,  1845, 
a  Congregational  church  was  formed  there, 
consisting  of  about  twelve  members.  The 
church  has  increased  to  about  twenty-five 
members.  Mr.  Ray  is  still  preaching  there. 

CHURCH  OF  THE  PURITANS. 

On  Sabbath  evening,  March  15, 1846,  the 
Rev.  George  B.  Cheever,  D.D.,  commenced 


368  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

preaching  in  the  small  chapel  of  the  New 
York  University,  with  a  view  of  gathering  a 
church  under  the  above  name.  This  was 
accomplished  on  the  12th  of  April,  when 
about  sixty  members  were  enrolled.  Dr. 
Cheever  soon  received  a  call,  and  was  in- 
stalled pastor  May  15,  1846.  Ground  has 
been  purchased  for  the  erection  of  a  house 
of  worship  on  Union  Square,  corner  of 
Fifteenth  street. 


In  May,  1846,  a  meeting  was  opened  in  a 
Hall  at  417  Houston  street,  by  the  Rev.  J. 
D.  L.  Zender,  with  the  design  of  gathering  a 
French  Evangelical  Congregational  Church, 
but  as  yet  nothing  very  definite  has  been 
done. 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH.      369 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES  IN  NEW  YORK 
NOW  IN  OPERATION, 

WITH    THE   NUMBER    OF   COMMUNICANTS  IN   DECEMBER, 

1845. 

When  formed.  Com. 

Providence  Chapel, 1819  100 

First  Free  Church 1836  250 

Tabernacle  Church 1840  362 

Second  Free  Church 1842  120 

Fourth  Church 1843  130 

Fifth  Church 1844  40 

Colored  Congregational  Church 1845  25 

Church  of  the  Puritans (May)  1846  60 

Total 1087 


CHURCHES  ONCE  FORMED,  BUT  NOW 
EXTINCT. 

When  formed.    When  dissolved. 
First  Congregational  Church. . .  .1804  1816 

Independent  Chu  rch 1817  became  Pres.  1 82 1 

Broadway  Cong.  Church  (about)  1817        (about)  1820 

Brooine  Street  Cong.  Church 1819  1822 

Welsh  Church 1822  became  Pres.  1833 

Third  Church 1824  1826 

New  York  Cong'l  Church 1837  1840 

Fifth  Ward  Mission  Church ....  1840  1843 

Robinson  Cong'l  Church 1845  1845 


32 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH. 
1808. 


ABOUT  the  year  1808,  a  few  individuals 
who  were  interested  in  the  doctrines  of  what 
is  styled  "  The  New  Jerusalem  Church,"  as 
revealed  in  the  theological  writings  of 
Emanuel  Swedenborg,  began  to  hold  meet- 
ings for  religious  worship  on  the  Sabbath 
in  a  small  school-house  in  James  street. 
These  meetings  were  continued  for  several 
years  at  this  place,  with  but  a  small  increase 
of  numbers.  About  the  year  1816,  they 
removed  to  a  school-house  then  standing  on 
Broadway,  near  the  City  Hospital.  Still 
their  number  was  small,  their  organization 
very  simple,  and  their  public  worship  was 
conducted  by  some  one  of  their  own  num- 
ber, previously  appointed.  At  this  time  a 
regular  constitution  was  adopted,  and  signed 
by  eleven  males.  They  styled  themselves 


NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH.  371 

"  The  Association  of  the  city  of  New  York 
for  the  dissemination  of  the  Heavenly  Doc- 
trine of  the  New  Jerusalem  Church/'  This 
constitution  was  amended  about  seven 
years  after,  and  signed  by  fifteen,  a  little 
more  than  half  of  whom  had  signed  the  for- 
mer constitution. 

In  1821,  the  society  purchased  a  house  of 
worship  situated  on  Pearl  street,  between 
Chatham  and  Cross  streets,  to  which  the  con- 
gregation removed.  In  the  same  year,  Mr. 
Charles  I.  Doughty,  one  of  their  number, 
who  for  some  time  previous  had  officiated 
as  their  reader  or  preacher,  was  elected  to 
the  pastoral  office,  and  duly  ordained.  He 
continued  in  this  office  for  the  term  of  seven- 
teen years,  when,  in  Sept.,  1838,  the  con- 
nection was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent. 
During  this  period  the  society  experienced 
but  few  changes,  and  had  but  a  moderate 
growth,  as  in  1839,  the  whole  number  of 
members  was  only  forty-two. 

For  about  two  years  after  the  dismission 
of  Mr.  Doughty,  the  society  was  rather  de- 
clining. They  were  without  a  pastor,  and 
disposed  of  their  house  of  worship  to  the 
Zion  Baptist  Church. 


372  NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH. 

In  June,  1840,  Mr.  B.  F.  Barrett  was  en- 
gaged to  preach  for  this  church,  and  in  Oc- 
tober of  the  following  year  he  was  ordained 
as  pastor,  in  which  office  he  continues. 

The  present  state  of  the  society  is  more 
encouraging.  They  have  now  about  ninety 
communicants,  with  a  congregation  of  from 
two  to  three  hundred  on  the  Sabbath.  Their 
place  of  public  worship  is  the  lecture  room 
of  the  New  York  Society  Library,  at  the 
corner  of  Broadway  and  Leonard  streets. 

SECOND    CHURCH. 

The  second  New  Jerusalem  Church  in 
this  city  was  formed  with  thirteen  members, 
Sept.  12,  1841.  Of  this  church  the  Rev. 
Charles  I.  Doughty  became  pastor,  assisted 
by  Mr.  S.  Brown,  a  licentiate.  The  church 
continued  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Mr. 
Doughty  until  his  death,  which  took  place 
in  July,  1844.  Since  which  time,  occasion- 
al supplies  of  preaching  have  been  obtained, 
or  the  public  services  have  been  conducted 
by  a  lay  reader.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Wilkes 
is  the  present  supply.  The  congregation 
assemble  in  the  small  chapel  of  the  New 
York  University. 


UNITARIAN  CHURCH. 
1819. 


THE  first  Unitarian  preaching  in  the  city 
of  New  York  was  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Chan- 
ning  of  Boston,  who  preached  a  sermon  in 
a  private  house  on  the  25th  of  April,  1819, 
and  afterwards  on  the  16th  of  May,  in  the 
same  year,  he  preached  in  the  lecture-room 
of  the  Medical  College  in  Barclay  street. 

The  first  Unitarian  Society  was  founded 
May  24,  1819,  and  incorporated  under  the 
name  of  the  "  First  Congregational  Church 
of  New  York,"  on  November  15th  of  the 
same  year. 

On  the  29th  of  April  following,  the  corner 
stone  of  a  church  edifice  was  laid  on  Cham- 
bers street,  west  of  Broadway,  the  Rev.  Henry 
Ware,  jr.,  officiating,  and  the  building  was 
completed  and  dedicated  January  20,  1821. 
The  sermon  on  this  occasion  was  by  the 

Rev.  Edward  Everett,  of  Boston. 
29* 


374  UNITARIAN  CHURCH. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  William  Ware,  who  was  ordained 
December  18,  1821,  and  resigned  his  charge 
September  19,  1836.  After  this,  the  church 
was  destitute  of  a  settled  pastor  for  two 
years,  during  which  time  they  were  supplied 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Follen.  The  present  pastor, 
the  Rev.  Henry  W.  Bellows,  was  ordained 
January  2, 1839. 

The  church  edifice  in  Chambers  street  had 
a  front  of  white  marble,  and  was  an  elegant, 
although  a  small  structure.  It  was  capable 
of  holding  comfortably  from  five  to  six 
hundred  people.  In  about  six  years  after  it 
was  opened,  the  house  had  become  much 
crowded,  and  many  of  the  pew  holders  liv- 
ing in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  it  was  thought 
best  to  establish  a  second  church,  which  was 
done.  But  within  ten  years  more,  the  congre- 
gation had  so  increased  that  farther  accom- 
modations appeared  necessary.  The  place 
of  worship  was  found  to  be  inconveniently 
situated  for  the  people,  and  it  was  resolved 
to  remove.  Accordingly  the  old  church 
edifice  was  sold  in  the  summer  of  1843,  and 
the  Savings  Bank  now  occupies  its  place. 
For  about  two  years,  while  a  new  building 


UNITARIAN  CHURCH.  375 

was  erecting,  the  congregation  assembled 
for  worship  in  the  "Apollo  Saloon,"  on 
Broadway.  A  most  elegant  structure  has 
been  built,  situated  on  Broadway,  between 
Spring  and  Prince  streets,  capable  of  seating 
over  thirteen  hundred  persons.  The  cost  of 
this  building  is  about  $90,000.  It  was  dedi- 
cated October  22,  1845,  under  the  name  of 
"  The  Church  of  the  Divine  Unity,"  and  is 
now  occupied  by  a  large  and  flourishing 
congregation. 

"  CHURCH  OF  THE  MESSIAH." 

This  church,  as  already  related,  was 
originally  a  colony  which  came  out  from  the 
Unitarian  church  in  Chambers  street,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  1826.  A  house  of 
worship  was  built  on  Prince  street,  a  short 
distance  west  from  Broadway,  which  was 
opened  for  worship  on  the  7th  of  December 
in  that  year.  The  sermon  on  this  occasion 
was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Channing  of 
Boston,  from  Mark  xii.  29,  30. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  the 
Rev.  W.  Lunt,  who  was  ordained  here  m 
June,  1828,  continuing  to  officiate  a  little 
over  five  years,  when  he  resigned  the  charge. 


376  UNITARIAN  CHURCH. 

This  took  place  November  19,  1833.  The 
church  was  vacant  for  about  a  year,  depend- 
ing on  casual  supplies,  when,  in  December, 
1834,  the  Rev.  Orville  Dewey  was  engaged 
for  a  year,  but  before  it  expired,  on  Novem- 
ber 26,  1835,  he  was  installed  pastor. 

Two  years  after  this,  on  Sabbath  morning, 
November  26,  1837,  the  church  edifice  was 
entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  The  congrega- 
tion engaged  the  large  Hall  of  Stuyvesant 
Institute  on  Broadway,  where  they  continued 
to  assemble  for  a  year  and  a  half.  Arrange- 
ments were  immediately  made  to  rebuild. 
The  site  of  the  old  church  on  Prince  street 
was  disposed  of,  and  a  substantial  building 
of  rough  granite  was  erected  on  Broadway, 
near  Washington  Square,  which  was  opened 
for  worship,  May  2,  1839,  by  the  name  of 
"sThe  Church  of  the  Messiah."  Dr.  Dewey 
rejnains  in  the  pastoral  office. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

1829. 


Two  churches  have  been  formed  in  New 
York  city,  styling  themselves  simply  "  The 
Christian  Church."  They  hold  to  baptism 
by  immersion,  and  reject  infant  baptism. 
They  reject,  also,  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
discard  all  written  creeds  and  confessions  of 
faith,  taking  the  Bible,  simply,  as  the  rule  of 
faith  and  church  government,  and  making 
Christian  character  only  the  test  of  fellow- 
ship. One  of  these  churches  has  become 
extinct ;  the  other  remains. 

FIRST  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

This  was  formed  in  the  year  1829,  under 
the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Simon  Clough. 
Arrangements  were  immediately  made  for 
building  a  house  of  worship,  which  was 
effected  in  that  year.  It  was  a  substantial 
brick  edifice,  measuring  forty-six  feet  by 
seventy-five,  standing  on  the  corner  of 


378 


THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Broome  and  Norfolk  streets.  It  cost  about 
$16,000.  Mr.  Clough  continued  pastor  of 
the  church  about  five  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded, in  1834,  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  N  Wal- 
ter, but  Mr.  Clough  remained  attached  to 
the  church,  preaching  occasionally  as  long 
as  they  remained  together.  He  died  in  the 
spring  of  1844. 

Mr.  Walter  remained  in  the  pastoral  office 
until  the  year  1839,  when  his  health  becom- 
ing impaired,  and  the  church  being  greatly 
embarrassed  with  pecuniary  difficulties,  he 
was  dismissed,  and  shortly  after  their  house 
of  worship  was  sold.  The  congregation 
hired  it  for  nearly  two  years,  when  it  was 
sold  again  to  the  "  Norfolk  Street  Baptist 
Church,"  and  the  "  First  Christian  Church" 
soon  became  extinct. 

SUFFOLK  STREET  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

Although  the  "  First  Christian  Church,"  as 
such,  was  no  more  known,  yet  the  members 
of  it  were  not  lost.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
year  1841,  a  few  active  members  who  re- 
mained, hired  the  "  Thalian  Hall,"  No.  460 
Grand  street,  at  a  rent  of  $500  per  annum, 
and  engaged  as  their  minister  Elder  H. 
Simonton,  who  had  supplied  the  first  Chris- 


THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  379 

tian  Church  after  the  dismission  of  Mr. 
Walter.  In  May,  of  that  year,  they  orga- 
nized as  a  church,  with  as  many  of  the  old 
members  as  could  then  be  found;  several 
more  were  added  during  the  year,  and  at  its 
close  they  had  enrolled  as  communicants 
about  one  hundred  persons.  About  a  year 
after  this,  an  interesting  series  of  meetings 
was  held,  which  resulted  in  the  hopeful  con- 
version of  some  thirty  or  forty  persons,  who 
were  added  to  the  church.  The  congrega- 
tion remained  in  the  Thalian  Hall  over 
three  years,  and  with  a  strong  effort  succeed- 
ed in  meeting  their  temporal  engagements. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1844,  the  con- 
gregation commenced  the  erection  of  a 
house  of  worship.  Two  lots  were  purchas- 
ed on  Suffolk  street,  near  Delancy,  and  a 
neat  brick  building  was  erected,  measuring 
40  feet  by  65,  capable  of  seating  about 
five  hundred  persons.  It  was  first  opened 
for  worship  June  23, 1844,  and  the  church  is 
now  known  as  the  "  Suffolk  Street  Christian 
Church,"  about  one  hundred  and  thirty 
members  are  now  enrolled  in  communion, 
and  the  congregation  is  in  a  flourishing 
state.  Mr.  Simonton  has  still  the  pastoral 
charge. 


CONCLUSION. 


IN  the  preceding  pages  we  have  taken  a  mere 
glance  at  the  ground  now  occupied  by  two 
hundred  and  seventeen  Churches ;  and  we 
read  the  history,  also,  of  more  than  sixty 
others,  once  formed,  and  now  extinct.  The 
facts  here  brought  to  view  furnish  much 
important  instruction,  and  might  be  dilated 
on  to  much  profit.  Several  pages  of  remark 
had  been  prepared.  It  was  also  proposed, 
in  the  outset,  to  have  appended  some  in- 
teresting tables,  especially  one  exhibiting  the 
capacity  of  the  several  houses  of  worship 
in  the  city,  in  order,  by  a  comparison  with 
the  population,  to  enable  us  to  judge  correctly 
of  the  extent  of  the  present  church  accom- 
modations to  the  wants  of  the  people.  But 
our  book  has  already  far  exceeded  the  limits 
originally  prescribed,  and  we  are  constrained 
to  stop  abruptly,  and  leave  many  things 
unsaid. 


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